BuaNews (Tshwane)
Themba Gadebe
5 August 2007
Pretoria — The Guinea Bissau Prime Minister, Martinho Ndafa Cabi is on a visit to South Africa to hold bilateral political and economic discussions, the Foreign Affairs Department announced on Sunday.
Prime Minister Cabi is paying a working visit to South Africa from 5 to the 11 August 2007 and is scheduled to meet Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Monday.
"Their meeting is within the context of South Africa's commitment to consolidate bilateral, political, economic and trade relations with all African countries as part of efforts of consolidating the African Agenda," said Minister Dlamini Zuma.
Issues to be discussed between Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka and Prime Minister Cabi are expected to include, among others:
* the status of bilateral political, economic and trade relations between South Africa and Guinea Bissau;
* the opening of a South African Diplomatic Mission in Guinea Bissau in December 2007 and the role this will play towards the consolidation and expansion of these relations; and
* developments in western and southern Africa.
"Through the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Facility for Hunger and Poverty Alleviation, South Africa is involved in the development of the agricultural and livestock sectors in Guinea-Bissau," Dr Dlamini-Zuma said.
The project was launched in 2004 as a South-South co-operation project meant to assist in the upliftment of Bissau-Guinean society, she said.
It is administered by the United Nations Development Programme.
The IBSA has a fund aimed at implementing duplicable, phased projects in needy developing countries.
In Guinea-Bissau, the project seeks to reduce the country's rice deficit, improvement and diversification of horticulture, improvement of short-cycle livestock production and promotion and development of small and medium scale agro-industry.
While in South Africa, Prime Minister Cabi will also participate in a South Africa - Guinea Bissau Business Forum hosted by Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa as well as hold discussions with the leadership of the African National Congress.
This will explore how the South African business sector can play a part in the development of the processing capacity of Guinea-Bissau in the area of cashew nuts and fish.
The country has an abundant supply of unexploited natural resources such as bauxite, phosphates, unexplored crude oil, fresh water and highly fertile soil suitable for agricultural activity.
"There are also opportunities in the banking sector, electricity generation and the development of infrastructure such as roads, ports and bridges," the department said.
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