South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is hosting his Guinea Bissau counterpart Umaro Sissoco Embaló who is on a state visit to Pretoria starting on Thursday, the presidency has announced.
According to the office, the visit will provide an opportunity for South Africa and Guinea Bissau to strengthen political and socio-economic relations between the two countries.
“The two states share a vision and strategic partnership on the advancement of peace and security, prosperity and development of our continent,” the presidency said.
The visit will also serve as a platform to reinvigorate a number of agreements that require closer implementation since their signing some years ago, according to the high office.
It said there has been renewed interest in implementing agreements and in extending partnership between them since Embaló came to power a few years ago.
The General Cooperation Agreement between the two countries, which was signed in September 2008, laid the foundation for the launching of a joint bilateral commission.
“The visit is expected to explore new possible areas of economic, trade and investment cooperation, especially in Guinea Bissau’s key sectors such as agro-processing, defence, infrastructure and mining, to the mutual benefit of both countries,” the presidency said.
The two leaders are also expected to share views on regional, continental and global issues of mutual interest, particularly peace, security and economic development matters, the office added.
Pretoria and Bissau established diplomatic relations in 1994 following the advent of democracy in both South Africa and the former Portuguese colony located in West Africa.
Following a working visit by the then Prime Minister Martinho Dafa Cabi to South Africa in August 2007, South Africa finally opened an embassy in Bissau in March 2008.
NM/jn/APA