The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Luwellyn Landers, will host the Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mr Ildefonso Castro, on the occasion of the 11th South Africa-Spain Annual Consultations scheduled for 29 September 2017 in Pretoria.
Bilateral relations between South Africa and Spain are strong and are anchored through the Annual Consultations held at Deputy Minister level. The Annual Consultations take place under the auspices of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in December 2000, which serves as the main forum for coordinating bilateral relations between the two countries on a wide spectrum of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual concern.
South Africa and Spain are closely interlinked by multifaceted economic relations. Spain is one of South Africa’s major trading partners in the European Union. In 2016, the overall volume of trade amounted to R32.3 billion, with imports amounting to R19.5 billion and exports amounting to R12.8 billion. There are 100 Spanish companies that have invested in South Africa and they are estimated to have created over 12 000 jobs largely in renewable energy and metals sectors.
The 11th South Africa-Spain Annual Consultation will reaffirm the importance of bilateral relations between South Africa and Spain as well as commitment by both countries to stronger economic ties thereby contributing to skills development and job creation.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION