RIYADH, 29 March 2005 — The Saudi-South African Joint Ministerial Commission will meet in Riyadh in the first week of May to review its achievements and plan future course of action, according to South African Ambassador Abdulhamied Gabier.
In an interview, he told Arab News that Minister of Trade and Industry Mandisi Mpahlwa will head the Pretoria delegation to the meeting while the Saudi side will be led by Trade and Commerce Minister Dr. Hashim Yamani. Gabier said: “We have memoranda of understanding in various sectors like education, sports and intelligence and I hope these will be finalized and signed during the meeting. If not, two of these may be signed during the visit of Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in the middle of May this year,” Gabier said.
Dlamini-Zuma’s visit is very significant. South Africa is a leading player in the African continent and Saudi Arabia plays a pivotal role not only in Middle East politics but also in world economy by virtue of its being the largest oil producer and exporter,” Gabier told Arab News. The envoy said that Saudi-South African bilateral cooperation can be improved in such areas as science, agriculture and medical services.
