SA, Senegal to solidify relations

In this light, Foreign Affairs Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will host her Senegalese counterpart Foreign Minister Cheick Tidiane Gadio, at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Wednesday, 30 April 2008.

“Minister Dlamini Zuma will co-chair JCBC within the context of South Africa's priority to strengthen bilateral political, economic and trade relations between the two countries with a view to consolidating the African developmental agenda,” the department said on Tuesday.

The commission is also expected to, among others to identify possible areas of co-operation between the two countries, with particular focus on agriculture, minerals and energy, women and youth empowerment, health and finance, said the department.

In addition to having cordial and fraternal relations, the countries cooperate on a wide range of issues, both bilaterally and on multilateral arenas.

Both countries are members of the NEPAD Steering Committee and work closely on issues affecting the African continent.

Senegal is one of the most economically developed states in the West African region, with relatively good physical infrastructure.

The country boasts of a relatively diverse industrial sector and a well-educated and skilled work force.

Since the 1960s, efforts have been made to diversify the economic base of groundnut exports to include fisheries, phosphates, cotton and petroleum products.

Some companies such as Anglo-American Corporation and Randgold of South Africa, have in the past been granted gold exploration permits.

Gold is expected to transform the phosphates-dominated mining sector, which has suffered from declining world demand.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews