Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
The Minister for Water Affairs and Forestry will visit to Dublin, Ireland on 2 -10 July 1998 at the invitation of the Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr David Andrews. The Minister will also meet with President of Ireland, Mrs Mary McAleese and the Irish Prime Minister, Mr Bertie Ahern on 2 July 1998. Minister Asmal will hold meetings with his Irish counterpart, Mr Noel Dempsey, Minister for Environment and Local Government and Ms Liz O'Donnell, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance and Human Rights.
Professor Kader Asmal will also receive an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Trinity College.
During his visit Minister Asmal will address a business breakfast seminar on opportunities for doing business with South Africa, hosted jointly by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce (DCC), the Ireland South Africa Trade Association (SATA) and the South African Embassy on 6 July 1998.
The Minister's presentation at the seminar will focus on the Government's socio-economic challenges and successes and on the country's economic achievements (foreign direct investment, capital influx). A general outline by the Minister of the reconstruction and development and social programmes, including GEAR and the potential opportunities these offer to Irish businessmen in for example, infrastructure and industrial projects.
This Business Breakfast and Seminar also serves as a follow-up to the successful "Doing Business with South Africa" one-day conference hosted by the South African Embassy in October 1997. The conclusion of a Double Taxation Agreement, which came into effect from January 1998, and South Africa's relaxation of exchange controls have stimulated a lot of interest in doing business with South Africa over the last six months. Trade between South Africa and Ireland has increased by almost 50 per cent to 261 million Irish pounds in 1997, which is equivalent to about R2 billion. This places Ireland among South Africa's top 30 trading partners.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY, DUBLIN IRELAND PRETORIA 1 JULY 1998