Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 March 2013
24. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of his recent official visit to South Africa; and if any of his meetings with South African business groups were successful in creating trade and investment for Ireland. [15528/13]
View answerI travelled to South Africa from the 14th to 17th March this year. The visit was part of a programme to three African countries - Tanzania, South Africa and Mozambique.
In Tanzania, I visited Irish Aid funded projects and held discussions with the Tanzanian Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. In Mozambique I chaired, on behalf of the EU, the Ministerial political dialogue between the European Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which took place in Maputo on 20 March. I also visited Irish Aid projects in rural Mozambique.
While in South Africa, I took the opportunity to follow up on the very successful trade mission which I led last November, involving 37 Irish companies. During my latest visit, I met with the Board of Business Ireland Southern Africa (BISA) in Johannesburg and was guest speaker at our St. Patrick’s Day reception in Johannesburg. I also met with the local representatives of Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and ESB International for an update on new business development, including a number of case studies which we discussed in depth. I had the opportunity to launch a joint venture between an Irish company and their South African partner and to visit three other Irish companies which are expanding their business in the region. My visit to South Africa culminated with the Greening of Table Mountain, organised by Tourism Ireland, which received considerable media coverage both locally and in the international media.
I am confident that my trade visits to South Africa, including this most recent visit, are supporting ongoing efforts to further develop Ireland’s economic engagement with South Africa and the wider southern Africa region. In 2011, South Africa – Ireland trade was worth just under €1.2 billion. Enterprise Ireland reports sustained interest by Irish companies in the South African market with two new companies per week on average visiting for the first time. In particular certain food and drink exports to South Africa are growing rapidly. There was an increase of 30% in dairy exports to South Africa last year. The total value of food and drink exports to South Africa in 2012 rose to €56.84 million.
My visit was also in line with Ireland's Africa Strategy, which seeks to build on Ireland’s longstanding development relationship with Africa. It explicitly recognises the role which greater economic and trade cooperation can make to relations between Ireland and Africa, and to development in Africa.
