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Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is scheduled to undertake a Working Visit to the Republic of Turkey from 06-08 June 2012. The visit follows the official visit of Deputy President Motlanthe to Turkey in August 2010 and a reciprocal visit by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to South Africa in October 2012.

Deputy President Motlanthe and Prime Minister Erdoğan are expected to hold discussions during which they will review progress on bilateral relations since the high level visits in 2010 and 2012; conclude and finalise the South Africa-Turkey Bi-National Commission (BNC) and the MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Energy; strengthen cooperation on defence issues; strengthen economic and commercial relations; promote the African Agenda and exchange views on regional and global geopolitical issues.

South Africa and Turkey have excellent relations that are characterised by regular high level engagements and an increasing focus on the development and implementation of concrete programmes of cooperation in agreed priorities areas in the bilateral and multilateral fields.

The total bilateral trade between South Africa and Turkey increased slightly to R7 billion in 2011. South Africa’s major exports to Turkey comprised amongst others, mineral products, base metals, machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical equipments, products of the chemical or allied products, vehicles, aircrafts, vessels, iron and steel, organic chemicals, ores, slag and ash. Total Turkey’s Foreign Direct Investment in South Africa is estimated to be US$ 60million.

The Deputy President will be accompanied by the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ebrahim Ebrahim, the Minister of Energy, Ms Dipuo Peters, the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Lindiwe Sisulu and senior government officials who are also scheduled to hold bilateral consultations with their Turkish counterparts.