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Zuma calls for stronger ties with India
By Phil Hazlewood (AFP) 10 hours ago
MUMBAI South African President Jacob Zuma called on Thursday for stronger ties with fast-growing India as he visited Mumbai on his first state visit to Asia.
He told business leaders that he had an "unfaltering desire and commitment" to build on relations developed since the first Indian immigrants arrived in South Africa 150 years ago this year.
Trade between the countries currently stands at 7.5 billion dollars annually but Zuma said he wanted that to grow to 10 billion dollars by 2012.
Calling India a "strategic partner," he said the two countries, because of their growing economies, were well-placed to help each other in areas from financial services and information technology to infrastructure and transport.
"The economic potential is clearly evident, especially when one looks at the diversity of our sectors and industries," he said.
Both India and South Africa, he added, were also in a position to challenge the traditional economic dominance of Europe and the United States, which were badly affected by the global economic downturn.
Zuma's visit comes amid reports that Indian mobile phone group Reliance Communications is considering a possible merger with South Africa's MTN, Africa's largest cellular firm.
The Economic Times newspaper said on Thursday that Reliance wanted to generate equity to fund its move into the third-generation mobile phone market, licences for which were sold last week at an Indian government auction.
Indian trade minister Anand Sharma highlighted the similar issues facing India and South Africa as they try to sustain growth and lift millions of citizens out of poverty. He recalled the ties between the two nations dating back to 1860.
The father of the Indian independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi, lived in South Africa and formed his ideas of non-violent struggle there before returning home to lead the fight against British rule.
Sharma said that bilateral trade would have been stronger "but for the mistakes of others which led to the global economic slowdown".
Zuma is due in New Delhi on Friday for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders and will be guest of honour at a banquet hosted by his Indian counterpart Prathibha Patil.
Besides trade, also on the agenda is reform of the United Nations Security Council, plus closer cooperation on climate change and the global economy.
AFP: Zuma calls for stronger ties with India
By Phil Hazlewood (AFP) 10 hours ago
MUMBAI South African President Jacob Zuma called on Thursday for stronger ties with fast-growing India as he visited Mumbai on his first state visit to Asia.
He told business leaders that he had an "unfaltering desire and commitment" to build on relations developed since the first Indian immigrants arrived in South Africa 150 years ago this year.
Trade between the countries currently stands at 7.5 billion dollars annually but Zuma said he wanted that to grow to 10 billion dollars by 2012.
Calling India a "strategic partner," he said the two countries, because of their growing economies, were well-placed to help each other in areas from financial services and information technology to infrastructure and transport.
"The economic potential is clearly evident, especially when one looks at the diversity of our sectors and industries," he said.
Both India and South Africa, he added, were also in a position to challenge the traditional economic dominance of Europe and the United States, which were badly affected by the global economic downturn.
Zuma's visit comes amid reports that Indian mobile phone group Reliance Communications is considering a possible merger with South Africa's MTN, Africa's largest cellular firm.
The Economic Times newspaper said on Thursday that Reliance wanted to generate equity to fund its move into the third-generation mobile phone market, licences for which were sold last week at an Indian government auction.
Indian trade minister Anand Sharma highlighted the similar issues facing India and South Africa as they try to sustain growth and lift millions of citizens out of poverty. He recalled the ties between the two nations dating back to 1860.
The father of the Indian independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi, lived in South Africa and formed his ideas of non-violent struggle there before returning home to lead the fight against British rule.
Sharma said that bilateral trade would have been stronger "but for the mistakes of others which led to the global economic slowdown".
Zuma is due in New Delhi on Friday for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders and will be guest of honour at a banquet hosted by his Indian counterpart Prathibha Patil.
Besides trade, also on the agenda is reform of the United Nations Security Council, plus closer cooperation on climate change and the global economy.
AFP: Zuma calls for stronger ties with India
