dti to consult on national export strategy

(Image: GCIS)

"In essence, a national export strategy looks into the competitiveness and development of a country's export sector and identifies priorities for enhanced export performance," said Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies.

The review of the national export strategy will focus on the whole of South Africa, considering both the private and public sectors, including state-owned entities. It will include all the work done by the various national and provincial government departments and their agencies.

Provincial workshops will kick off in Durban on Monday and will culminate in a national workshop in Gauteng in March.

The workshops, said the dti, will also allow provincial government structures to share export plans, programmes and strategies, and should result in a synergised national export approach for the country.

"A key strategic objective of this department is to build mutually beneficial regional and global relations to advance South Africa's trade, industrial policy and economic development objectives.

"We are also mandated to grow the country's export base by increasing the number of exporters and assisting companies to increase exports of locally manufactured products and services, amongst others.

"The need to review and develop a streamlined approach to export development and promotion is in line with global best practice," said Davies.

The country's latest economic policy developments such as Industrial Policy Action Plan, New Growth Path, the National Development Plan and the current national export strategy, developed in 2005, also need to be reviewed and updated in line with these recent policy developments, he added.