Russia-South Africa intergovernmental commission starts session in Pretoria

A session of the Russia-South Africa intergovernmental commission has gotten underway in Pretoria to consider new options for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. The attendees are now discussing possible joint projects in manufacturing industries, science and technology, power engineering, finances, agriculture, and forestry. November 19 will see a roundtable discussion concerning cooperation between the business communities of the two countries.

Opening the intergovernmental commission's session, Russian Vice Premier Valentina Matviyenko and South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said the potential that the two countries had for bilateral economic cooperation was obviously underused. They said the commission should try to find new areas for joint activities and elaborate new cooperation programs.

The Russian government is represented at the current session by deputies to the ministers of energy, agriculture, nuclear power, industries, and science & technology. Top management of several large Russian corporations are on the delegation, too.