Prime Minister of Russia, Mikhail Mishustin, held discussions with South African Vice President Paul Mashatile. Both parties expressed a keen interest in reinforcing and expanding collaboration across various sectors, including energy, as reported by the Russian government.
Mashatile emphasized, "We want to strengthen our trade relations with Russia, which is why we are here. We would like to delve into a wide range of issues. Specifically, we seek greater investments in our energy sector—solar, wind, and we hope nuclear energy will also be part of our conversations," during their discussions, as highlighted by TASS.
The Vice President also expressed South Africa's eagerness to boost the export of agricultural goods to Russia and to double bilateral trade with the country.
"We would like to invite Russian companies, including state-owned ones, to come to South Africa. We aim to increase our trade volume with Russia, doubling it, and plan to discuss this with our colleagues in St. Petersburg during the SPIEF," he stressed.
In response, Mishustin affirmed Moscow's intention to deepen cooperation with Pretoria.
"The focus is on industries like energy, agriculture, the digital economy, and certainly humanitarian collaboration. It's crucial that the forum hosts a special session on the development of business and investment partnerships between Russia and South Africa. I am certain it will aid in reviving business connections and generating new ideas and initiatives to fortify our cooperation," stated the Russian Prime Minister.
Mashatile is in Russia on a working visit, during which he will also meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
The SPIEF runs from June 18 to 21, with its central theme being "Common Values as the Foundation for Growth in a Multipolar World."
Alina Makeeva
