DAVOS-KLOSTERS - Minister of International Relations Lindiwe Sisulu says South Africa has adopted a policy of economic diplomacy in a bid to attract and retain investment.
Speaking from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Sisulu told the African News Agency (ANA) that the Department of International Relations and Co-operation has adopted a new angle to its diplomacy at the insistence of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
"Our diplomacy is now called economic diplomacy, so we are hoping to try our first strides right here,"she said.
"It entails being here to making sure our investors are in direct touch with our representatives abroad and that our representatives abroad also carry the same message we are carrying and are able to reassure investors and give support to investors.
"It also ensures that part and parcel of our everyday communication outside of our country is one of reassurance of South Africa as a safe haven for investment."
Sisulu said President Ramaphosa would be in Davos with a "very strong investment drive message, reassuring investors".
According to her, the first part of Ramaphosa's programme would consist of key bilaterals with heads of State and CEOs of large companies.
"All of the ministers are meeting regularly to make sure that we have a coherent message of encouraging investors to South Africa because of our stability, because of predictability, because of our relative ability to assure them of returns for their investment."