Boosting relations with Czech Republic

SOUTH Africa’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luwellyn

Landers, hosted his Czech Republic counterpart, Martin Tlapa, for political consultations yesterday.

The consultations focused on trade and investment, tourism, defence co-operation and science and technology, the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) said.

The last round of political consultations took place in Prague in November 2016 when Landers was hosted by Tlapa with the aim of strengthening bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries. Co-operation in the field of trade and investment, science and technology, defence and education was also discussed.

The most recent high-level visit between the two countries was the official visit to South Africa by the Czech Deputy Defence Minister,

Pavel Beran, in September this year.

It is expected this year’s con- sultations will focus on enhancing bilateral and multilateral co-operation and reaching agreement on ways of increasing foreign direct investment in South Africa and

South African value-added exports to the Czech Republic.

Full diplomatic relations between South Africa and the Czech Republic were established in July 1991.

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