Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
5 July 2001
President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal arrived in South Africa on Thursday 5 July 2001 on a working visit. The visit will be the first paid by President Wade to South Africa since his inauguration as Senegal's President on 1 April 2000, where South Africa was represented by Minister Essop Pahad. Since President Wade's inauguration, President Thabo Mbeki has paid a working visit to Senegal on 4 October 2000 to discuss bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest and concern.
On Saturday, 7 July 2001, both Presidents will discuss a common initiative for the recovery of Africa to be presented to the OAU Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in Lusaka, Zambia from 9 to 11 July 2001. This common initiative will comprise elements of the Millenium Partnership for the African Recovery Programme (MAP) and the OMEGA Plan.
Within the Francophone West African region Senegal has emerged as an important trading partner with South Africa. In 2000 South Africa imported R 4 244 089 million of goods from Senegal while it exported R 95 246 412 million of goods over the same period. These figures, although relatively low in global terms, reflect growth to the previous years (R 2 806 600 million of imports and R 73 802 624 million of exports in 1999).
Major South African companies such as Anglo American and Randgold are involved in Senegal. Economically there is much scope for South Africa to become increasingly involved in Senegal in the fields of agriculture/agro-processing, energy, railway construction, road and housing construction, mining, telecommunications, chemicals and water reticulation.
It is expected that the exemplary manner in which former President Abdou Diouf conceded defeat to President Wade during peaceful and democratic presidential elections during March 2000 will have a positive effect in the entire West African region and would serve as a model to be emulated by other countries in the region.
For more information contact Basetsana Thokoane
Cell no. 083 443 7740