SA-Ivory Coast leaders vow to fight poverty, inequality

President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Ivorian counterpart, Alassane Ouattara, on Thursday committed themselves to tackle common problems in their countries, including poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Ramaphosa said they agreed on the need to increase investment and value addition in agriculture and agro-processing and the development of mining.

“We are looking to expand trade in petroleum products, fresh produce, retail and agricultural products, and to explore opportunities for medical and educational tourism,” Ramaphosa said.

The two leaders discussed deepening and strengthening bilateral relations to create an enduring and mutually beneficial strategic partnership.

Ramaphosa is on a West African tour to Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Senegal. Ivory Coast was his second stop after Nigeria, which marked the 10th session of the SA-Nigeria binational commission.

Ramaphosa’s delegation includes ministers Fikile Mbalula, Thulas Nxesi, Naledi Pandor, Gwede Mantashe, Thandi

Modise, Senzo Mchunu, Ebrahim Patel and Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

Ramaphosa said SA and Ivory Coast will prioritise investment in public-private infrastructure projects as outlined in the Ivorian national development plan for 2021-2025.

SA investment in Ivory Coast is growing rapidly. A number of SA firms, including major banks and telecoms companies, are operating in the country.

“Several of our state-owned enterprises are negotiating investment promotion activities in sectors such as oil and gas, mining and geoscience.

“By increasing economic cooperation, we are looking to address our common challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality, with a particular focus on empowerment of women, youth and people with disabilities,” the president said.

On Covid-19, Ramaphosa emphasised the need for “an urgent and effective” recovery. He thanked Ouattara for going ahead with the state visit despite the travel bans imposed on SA by some countries after the discovery of the Omicron variant.

“The imposition of travel bans on SA and a number of countries in Southern Africa are regrettable, unfair and unscientific. Given that it was our own African scientists who first detected the ... variant, it is also a slap in the face of African excellence and expertise.

“These bans will cause untold damage in particular to travel and tourism industries that sustain businesses and livelihoods” in Southern Africa.

Ramaphosa reiterated his call for the travel restrictions to be reconsidered and lifted.

The two presidents also discussed consolidation of democracy on the African continent and the principles of the African charter on democracy, elections and governance.

“We have agreed to work together on multilateral and global issues of mutual concern, including the reform of the UN Security Council,” he said.

SEVERAL OF OUR STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES ARE NEGOTIATING INVESTMENT PROMOTION ACTIVITIES