SA and Norway sign bilateral cooperation agreements

Trade between South Africa and Norway may have increased by a staggering 300% in the past five years, but still falls short of its potential, according to Halvard Ingebrigtsen, Norwegian deputy minister of Trade and Industry. Speaking at a business lunch in Sandton last week on the last day of the Norwegian business mission to South Africa, arranged to coincide with the State visit of their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, Ingebrigtsen said business seminars held in both Johannesburg and Cape Town had gone a long way to establishing meaningful relationships that would boost imports and exports for both countries. A large contingent of government officials also accompanied the business mission and met with their South African counterparts. This has strengthened bilateral relations between the two countries while important agreements were sealed. These include a bilateral cooperation agreement on partnerships in Africa and climate change, and cooperation in higher education and research. “The visit to the country marks an important transition in Norway’s relationship with South Africa,” said Ingebrigtsen. “It has gone from us supporting the extensive democracy-building initiatives during the apartheid years into a 21st century global partnership in trade, business and climate change initiatives.” According to Gunn Ovesen, head of the business delegation, this is the largest delegation of its kind to visit South Africa. “The aim was to consolidate and develop economic bilateral relations between the two countries. The South African marketplace is of growing interest to the Norwegian business community During the past few years we have seen Norwegian companies establishing sister companies and partnerships in South Africa leading to increasing and huge business potential.” Exports from South Africa to Norway are presently around several billion rand, but this is expected to increase dramatically in the next few years.