PREMIER LEADS DELEGATION TO GERMANY
More than ten (10) Mpumalanga based business representatives will form part of the provincial government delegation, led by Premier Thabang Makwetla, that leaves on a trade related trip to the State of North Rhine Westphalia (NRW) in the Federal Republic of Germany from tomorrow (01/03/2005) until Saturday (05/03/2005).
The M E C for Economic Development and Planning, Mr. William Lubisi and the Provincial Director General, Adv. Stanley Soko will accompany the Premier.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) on mutual areas of cooperation between Mpumalanga and NRW was signed by the former Premier Mathew Phosa in 1995.
Together with his counterpart, Minister President Peer Steinbrueck, Makwetla will explore ways of strengthening the agreement and accelerating its implementation whilst also evaluating its impact over the last five years.
The MOU includes the promotion of trade and investment through investor conferences and exchange programs in the agro processing and product marketing sector, the establishment of a job incubator within the Mbombela Municipality, environmental conservation strategies and in areas of sports, culture and recreation.
The Premier will also meet the local Minister of Sport, Arts, Culture, Dr Michael Vesper, in order to discuss and impart experiences that can help Mpumalanga when it hosts the first World Gold Planning Championship in Africa later this year. More importantly will be the visit to one of the 2006 soccer world cup stadium as part of efforts to strengthen the campaign to make Nelspruit one of the host cities for the 2010 world cup. Makwetla recently announced that his province plans to build a R330 MILLION stadium.
The NRW is the most populous state with a total population of 18 million and generating a quarter (22 %) of Germany’s Gross Domestic (GDP). Coal and steel were historically the dominant industries, however, chemicals, high technology industries and a developed transport infrastructure are key pillars of the regional economy. The unemployment rate is close to 11 %.
Similarly, Mpumalanga is the largest producer of electricity because of large deposits and mining of coal in the Emalahleni (Witbank) area. One of the world’s largest producer of stainless steel, Columbus Stainless Steel operates from Middelburg.
The delegation will also pay a working visit to a SASOL plant in NRW. Sasol is the world’s largest producer of synthetic fuel and has recently announced a R12 billion investment in their Secunda plant.
Enquiries:
Ntime Skhosana
0137662055/ 0846730415
Issued by :
OFFICE OF THE PREMIER
MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT