Today, on Monday, 31 July 2023, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, co-chaired the 4th Session of the South Africa-Ethiopia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) alongside her Ethiopian counterpart, H.E Demeke Mekonnen, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.
The primary objective of the JMC is to oversee the implementation of numerous bilateral agreements and Memoranda of Understanding between South Africa and Ethiopia, covering diverse sectors such as trade and investment, science and innovation, health, education, and culture.
Preceding the JMC, the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) took place on 27-28 July 2023. During the 4th Session of the JMC, the co-chairs of the two established Working Groups, namely the Political and Social Working Group and the Economic Working Group, presented feedback on the Agreed Minutes of the SOM.
Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Ethiopia were established in 1994, and in 2004, the two nations signed a General Cooperation Agreement (GCA), which laid the foundation for annual meetings of senior officials. Subsequently, in 2008, the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) was created to foster an overarching framework for cooperation and partnership.
In January 2020, President Ramaphosa of South Africa received Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia on an official visit, during which the leaders stressed the importance of enhancing economic cooperation. The visit resulted in the signing of three legal instruments, including the Waiver of Visas on Diplomatic and Service passports, the Memorandum of Understanding on Health Cooperation, and Tourism Cooperation.
At the conclusion of the 4th Session of the South Africa-Ethiopia Joint Ministerial Commission, both Dr Naledi Pandor and Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen held a media briefing to share the outcomes of the discussions held during the meeting.
The key objectives of the Minister’s visit to Ethiopia include strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation through the convening of the 4th Session of the JMC, enhancing the implementation rate of signed Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, exploring new areas of economic, trade, and investment cooperation – specifically in telecommunications, road infrastructure, mining, agro-processing, trade and investment, and manufacturing – to benefit both nations.
