Eight sessions of the JBC have already taken place since the establishment of the structure in 1995, the 8th session having taken place in South Africa on 18 and 19 March 2010.

The visit on Tuesday will provide an opportunity to consolidate the outcomes of the 8th JBC by concluding bilateral co-operation agreements in the fields of energy, ICT, environment, oil and gas, animal and veterinary health, and to further bilateral co-operation in arts and culture, tourism, sport as well as trade and investment.

South Africa and Egypt have entered into more than 20 bilateral agreements so far.

A Memorandum of Understanding on Economic Co-operation was signed by the Minister of Trade and Industry in August 2009, paving the way for better co-operation bilaterally and within the context of the regional organisations, COMESA and SADC.

To boost trade relations, President Zuma will take more than 100 businesspeople to Egypt and will address the South Africa-Egypt business forum.

Several sectors have been identified for cooperation, including energy, tourism, mining, agro processing, finance, infrastructure, agriculture and industrial products.

At a political level, the President is expected to discuss with his Egyptian counterpart the peace process in the Middle East, Sudan and other parts of the African continent, as well as the need to strengthen Afro-Arab relations, South-South relations and institutions such as the African Union, Non-Aligned Movement, (NAM) and others.

Egypt is the current chair of NAM and South Africa has welcomed the fact that Egypt has used the position to promote the resolution of matters that are of interest to the developing world.

The President will be accompanied by his wife, Sizakele Zuma, and the Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Arts and Culture Lulu Xingwana, Communications Siphiwe Nyanda, Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile, Energy Dipuo Peters and Agriculture and Fisheries Tina Joemat–Petersson. 

He will also be joined by the Deputy Ministers of Trade and Industry, Thandi Tobias and Tourism, Thozile Xasa. - BuaNews