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The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Elizabeth Thabethe urged the South African and Turkish businesspeople to work together and ensure that the decrease in trade between the two countries since 2009 was reversed. Thabethe was addressing more than 200 businesspeople at a Turkey-South Africa Business Seminar in Istanbul, Turkey today. She is on a four-day Outward Selling and Investment Mission to the cities of Istanbul and Izmir until Friday, 23 November 2012. 

“Trade between South Africa and Turkey decreased from R10.6 billion in 2008 to R5.1 billion in 2009 and further to R4.9 billion in 2010 mainly due to the global economic crisis. I am hoping that the businesspeople from Turkey and South Africa that are here today will work together henceforth and ensure that this trend is not only arrested, but it is actually reversed, by taking advantage of the myriad trade and investment opportunities available in both countries ,” said Thabethe.

She added that partnerships between Turkey and South Africa were natural as the two countries had similar characteristics, with one distinguished advantage being their geographical locations.

“South Africa is located as the gateway to the African Continent, and Turkey in the Middle East neighbouring various European Union states. This is one advantage that should be used maximally by our businesspeople. Surely, there is certainly a greater room to grow the volume of a two-way trade and investment between South Africa and Turkey,” emphasised Thabethe.

Thabethe is leading a business delegation of twenty business people representing different sectors including energy, mining, jewellery, infrastructure, clothing and textile, capital equipment, engineering and Information and Communication Technology.

“We believe that these sectors are among those that will contribute significantly towards an increase of bilateral trade, investment, tourism, science and technology, as well as industrial cooperation between South Africa and Turkey,” said Thabethe.

Speaking at the same event, the Turkish Deputy Minister of Economy, Mr Mustafa Sever said South Africa is one of the world’s success stories and is beaming with opportunities that Turkish businesspeople could explore in partnership with their South African counterparts.