South Africa’s efforts towards industrialisation, infrastructure development and job creation as laid out in its Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan have received committed support from Germany, President Cyril Ramaphosa has said.
Speaking to reporters following talks with his German counterpart Olaf Scholz in Pretoria on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said the commitment was made during a tete-a-tete where the two leaders discussed a number of issues of bilateral and international concerns.
This included ways to enhance cooperation in areas such as energy and climate change, trade and investment, and responses to Covid-19 and vaccine demands, the president said.
He said Germany has been a partner in development since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, with the two nations having set up a Bi-National Commission in 1996 to cooperate in various fields.
“This cooperation has been in a range of fields, including good governance and strengthening democracy, HIV prevention, climate actions and energy,” he said.
Ramaphosa said the two leaders also discussed the next steps in the Just Transition Partnership concluded between South Africa, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union last year.
“This historic partnership will support our just transition to a low-carbon economy and climate resilient society in a manner that leaves no-one behind,” he said.
In addition, Ramaphosa and Scholz also spoke extensively on supporting young people and integrating them into the workplace.
“There is much we can learn from the German mode of dual education, and how German companies integrate the training of young people into the working environment,” he said.
In turn, the Chancellor said Germany was working together with South Africa in the field of cooperation for developing skills.
Scholz agreed with Ramaphosa that it was necessary to do a lot for young people, and “if they have a chance for training and education together, it is big progress.”
NM/jn/APA