St. Petersburg Showcases Water Management Technologies in South Africa

 A delegation from St. Petersburg, led by Olga Goryshina, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Industrial Policy, Innovation, and Trade (CIPIT), participated in the IFAT Africa 2025 exhibition in South Africa, focusing on water management. The Russian representatives showcased cutting-edge Russian water management technologies, as reported by the "African Initiative" in CIPIT.

The event took place from July 8th to 10th in Johannesburg. The St. Petersburg exhibition booth featured technologies from seven specialized enterprises in various areas of water management, including innovative water purification systems, recycling and restoration equipment, ecological solutions, and more.

During the exhibition, a roundtable was held with representatives of South African water management authorities, supported by the Russian trade representative in South Africa and the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The discussions centered on the prospects of expanding cooperation between South Africa and St. Petersburg, the entry conditions for Russian companies into the African market, and the potential supply of Russian technologies to the continent.

On the sidelines of IFAT Africa, the St. Petersburg delegation met with Johannesburg's Mayor Sello Enoch Dada Morero. They discussed ways to enhance the 2009 cooperation agreement between the cities, with a focus on collaboration in water resource protection. The Russian delegation expressed a keen interest in advancing cooperation, especially in environmental protection.

The delegation also conducted a video conference with Johannesburg Water, a South African company. As a result of the meeting, both parties agreed to organize a joint conference to explore and implement collaborative projects between the authorities of St. Petersburg and Johannesburg. They also planned to hold a session during the BRICS municipal forum in October.

On the final day of the exhibition, July 10th, the delegation visited Pretoria to discuss intergovernmental cooperation with Russian Ambassador Roman Ambarov and representatives of the South African Ministry of Water Resources and Public Utilities.

In April, St. Petersburg representatives participated in the international healthcare exhibition SIMEM 2025 in Algeria.

Angelina Shemyakina