Trade between South Africa and the Republic of Congo reached a peak in 2009, and the two countries met in Johannesburg on Friday to further bilateral trade relations between them.

Speaking at the South African - Congo business forum, South African President Jacob Zuma said that the countries were planning to establish a joint trade committee in an effort to further implement and develop the bilateral trade agreement signed between them in 2005.

He said that the committee would be "better placed", to among other issues, analyse the status of bilateral trade between the two countries.

Business Unity South Africa chairperson Sandile Zungu told Engineering News Online that South Africa exported about R500-million worth of goods to the Congo last year. "Even though this represents a peak, it is actually off a very low base and the potential exists to double or even triple that figure with the right structures in place within the next year.

"With the assistance of the two governments and private business taking the initiative and identifying potential areas of growth, R500-million in exports will look minimal in the years to come."

South Africa exports a number of products to Congo that include: juice, fruit and vegetables, parts and accessories of machines, propylene, copolymers, front-end shovel loaders, light oils, containers, sodium triphosphate, telephones for cellular networks, mineral water, cable and other electrical conductors.

Zungu also emphasised that business activity between the two countries would not be a one-way street, and noted that South Africa had a special interest in importing products such as timber, oil, agroprocessed food, cocoa and other beneficiated products from the Congo. "The Congo has the second-biggest forestry industry in the world, and is able to produce large volumes and very high-quality timber," commented Zungu.

Further, Zuma said that even though the Congo's oil and petroleum sector was its biggest revenue earner and contributed more than 60% of the country's nominal gross domestic product, agriculture and other industries, were equally important for trade activities.

He welcomed the long-term land lease agreement of over 200 000 ha of idle farmland from the Congo to a consortium of South African farmers. "We believe that this is one of the key areas of economic cooperation that our two countries can exploit, with clear tangible outcomes.

"The outcome of this will not only improve food security for the Congo and its neighbours, but would equally build this sector and further stimulate nonoil sectors and their secondary industries."

Zuma said that South Africa also saw great potential to invest in the Congo's transport business, especially relating to the infrastructure development of its roads, maritime and rail construction, mining, harnessing of energy, tourism development, and information communication technology services.

He noted that one could measure an area's economic activity and development by its transport infrastructure as he referenced to the "sometimes almost nonexisting" methods of transport in and around the African continent. "The challenge remains to create an enabling environment for the development of transportation and communication on the continent."

Zuma called on all South African business to seize investment opportunities in the Congo. "The agreements that we have concluded in the past, should continue to inspire our resolve to increase trade between the two countries," he added.

Bilateral relations between South Africa and Congo were first established on March 22,1993. Cooperation between the two countries operates within the general cooperation agreement and a cooperation agreement instituting a joint commission for cooperation (JCC), which was signed on November 25, 2003. However, the JCC was never formally launched. A bilateral trade agreement between the countries was signed in 2005.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on economic cooperation to further deepen trade and industrial cooperation on Thursday in Pretoria.