Embassy, Topnews, Bilateral Relations, Press
07. May 2012
Berlin, 7 May 2012. H.E. Ambassador Reverend Stofile welcomed the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe, at the Embassy in Berlin. Deputy President Motlanthe is in Germany to lead the South African delegation at the seventh South Africa-German Bi-National Commission (BNC). The Commission was established in 1996 under President Nelson Mandela and Chancellor Helmut Kohl and meets every two years. The last meeting took place in April 2010 when Foreign Minister Westerwelle led a delegation to Pretoria.
Deputy Minister Motlanthe is accompanied by Ministers from the Department of Science and Technology, Trade and Industry and Finance as well as high ranking Senior Officials from other Ministries and a business delegation. The joint committees at the BNC include the following key areas: economy, trade and investment, science and technology, development cooperation, culture, environment and social and labour affairs and for the first time foreign and security policies.