SA-Germany to place trade and investment under the spotlight

The promotion of trade and investment linkages between South Africa and Germany will come under the spotlight at an event that will be held on Thursday.

This as the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), will host a network event in partnership with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Change as well as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The Partnering in Business with Germany network event will be held over two days at the Southern Sun Sandton in Gauteng from 12-13 September 2024. 

“The global programme is designed to promote trade and investment linkages between Germany and South Africa,” said the dtic.

In April, the dtic and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Change signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation to formalise a programme to train and mentor emerging exporters from South Africa to access the German market.

In a statement on Tuesday, dtic Deputy Director-General for Exports, Lerato Mataboge, said the programme’s objectives is to capacitate small medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and emerging exporters by allowing them to forge successful business ties with Germany towards securing export orders and investment.

Mataboge pointed out that the programme targets companies to become more resilient through diversification, and also to assist companies that have so far had little experience with foreign markets to internationalise.

“The Partnering in Business with Germany programme focuses on imparting skills required for international business relations and developing companies to be ready for cooperation with German enterprises. In turn the programme also reduces risks and transaction costs for German companies looking at new markets.

“Through the programme participants are prepared to enter the German market and brought into contact with German firms interested in doing business with South Africa. As part of the successful collaboration between the two Ministries an alumni networking event is also held annually. The inaugural event took place in 2023 in Cape Town, attended by 60 past beneficiaries of the programme,” she explained.

The partnership with the German Ministry to mentor South African companies, has resulted in 234 companies traveling to Germany to experience German business culture and engage with potential export partners. –SAnews.gov.za