Pretoria – International Relations and Co-operation Minister Naledi Pandor has bid farewell to her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov after closed-door talks between officials of the two nations.
In her closing remarks after hosting Lavrov in Pretoria on Tuesday, Pandor said: “The discussions of today were frank and open, and I am pleased about the progress evident on a variety of issues between our two countries.
“Your Excellency (Lavrov), we attach great importance to fostering and deepening our strategic partnership by strengthening the structured bilateral mechanism between our two countries. In this regard I look forward to co-hosting the 17th Itec (Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Co-operation) session during the first quarter of 2023.
“I look forward to the implementation of our commitments and a continued closer working relationship. Our goal is to work unrelentingly towards the upliftment of our respective nations and doing so through the instruments of foreign policy that we have at our disposal.”
She said the shared goal was to see a significant and imminent increase in economic, social, cultural, and scientific interactions between the two nations who are also members of the BRICS forum which includes Brazil, India, and China.
“We have reviewed the status of some of the outstanding agreements and reiterated our commitments in areas where work remains to be done. More importantly we should encourage our colleagues in other departments to be responsive to issues that we and our teams have identified as important for our bilateral co-operation,” said Pandor.
“I look forward to welcoming you and your delegation back to South Africa in the not-too-distant future for our BRICS engagement.”
In conclusion, Pandor wished Lavrov “good health and a safe return home”.
Lavrov arrived in Pretoria on Monday morning, on an official visit at the invitation of Pandor. The tour attracted criticism from some sections, owing to Russia’s invasion of its neighbour Ukraine, given South Africa’s neutral stance in the conflict.
In 2022, South Africa and Russia celebrated 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, and the Department of International Relations and Co-operation said the historical links between the two countries remained strong.
Political bilateral relations between the two countries cover a range of issues and are at a strategic level. However, analysts have highlighted that the current economic relations between the two friendly nations do not match the high level of political relations.
IOL