Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Government of South Africa

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has expressed South Africa’s deep appreciation for Finland’s unwavering support during the country’s Group of 20 (G20) Presidency and its struggle against apartheid.

The Deputy President made the remarks during a bilateral meeting on Wednesday with Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo at OR Tambo House in Pretoria.

“This commitment was underscored by the participation of His Excellency President Alexander Stubb at very short notice, for which we remain sincerely grateful. Relations between South Africa and Finland continue to be warm, cordial and constructive,” said Deputy President Mashatile on Wednesday.  

Prime Minister Orpo’s visit follows South Africa’s successful hosting of the G20 Leaders’ Summit over the weekend in Johannesburg, which was attended by President Stubb and his delegation. 

It also comes shortly after the Prime Minister participates in the 7th African Union–European Union (AU-EU) Summit in Luanda, Angola, marking the 25th anniversary of the AU–EU partnership.

Finland operates as a parliamentary republic, where the Prime Minister serves as Head of Government and oversees daily administration, while the President acts as Head of State with a primarily ceremonial role, including responsibilities in foreign policy and military command.

“Since the dawn of our democracy, Finland has recognised the importance of South Africa’s reconstruction and development efforts and has made a meaningful contribution through various development partnership agreements, as well as expanding trade and investment across diverse sectors.” 

The Deputy President highlighted that bilateral engagement has strengthened recently, especially during the State Visit by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö in April 2023.

The country’s second-in-command reported that the visit resulted in several tangible and positive outcomes. 

These include collaboration on water resource management, the development of educational models for Early Childhood Development, initiatives aimed at supporting out-of-school youth and adult education, and a joint effort to train young peace mediators.

“These practical projects reflect the substance and value of our partnership.” 

He said yesterday’s visit builds on these high-level engagements and serves to further consolidate our bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of trade and investment. 

“We are encouraged that your delegation includes business leaders seeking to explore new opportunities in smart and sustainable mining, water and built environments, and the development of smart cities.” 

In addition, he stated that water management and digitalisation remain central pillars of bilateral cooperation. 

He referred to the 2023 memorandum of understanding (MoU) on water resources between South Africa and Finland as a significant milestone, particularly emphasising its focus on innovation and technology.

“We also value the Letters of Intent concluded with several municipalities on water resource management.”

Minister of Water and Sanitation Penny Majodina’s visit to Finland in August 2025, along with the participation of a Finnish delegation in the inaugural Technical Conference of the Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions of South Africa (AWSISA) earlier this month, highlights the strength of our collaboration in this field.

“We appreciate ongoing cooperation in advancing innovation systems and start-up ecosystems. Work continues on digital infrastructure – especially low-cost connectivity in township areas – which will help create an enabling environment for inclusive development. In this regard, we value Finland’s active participation in the G20 Digital Economy Working Group.” 

Beyond strong bilateral ties, Deputy President Mashatile believes the relationship has increasingly evolved into a partnership in support of Africa’s broader development priorities. 

“South Africa and Finland share the conviction that equitable representation in the United Nations and the wider multilateral system is essential for sustainable peace and development. 

“We commend Finland’s consistent and principled support for the comprehensive reform of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, and for its advocacy for a more just, inclusive and rules-based international order.”

In addition, he recognised Finland’s continued partnership on key global challenges, including the strengthening of multilateralism and international law, peacebuilding and mediation, gender equality and human rights, and the global response to climate change. 

“The history of our respective struggles and the lessons drawn from our shared solidarity remind us that, by working together, we can help build a better world – one in which the aspirations of all nations and peoples may be realised.” – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

Thursday, November 27, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

South African Information and Communications Technology (ICT) company, BlueTel Communications, has arrived at Rail Live 2025 in Madrid with a clear and strategic mission, to secure international partnerships that can modernise and strengthen Africa’s digital and rail communication systems. 

The company forms part of the South African business delegation supported by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) through its Outward Selling Mission (OSM), which aims to expand trade, unlock new markets, and position South African firms within global value chains.

Established in 2012, BlueTel Communications specialises in professional support services for the telecommunications industry, offering planning, implementation, maintenance, and after-sales support across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and parts of East Africa. 

Operating in a niche market traditionally dominated by global vendors, the company has leveraged its engineering expertise, strong customer relationships, and Africa-wide footprint to become a flexible and competitive partner for organisations seeking outsourced telecom solutions. 

Its long-term vision is to grow into one of the continent’s leading telecommunications service providers.

Speaking on the first day of the Rail Live Expo, BlueTel’s Director of Business Development and Finance, Hilkia Jacobs, said the event offered unmatched opportunities for collaboration. He explained that the synergies between ICT and railway technologies made Rail Live the ideal platform for expanding the company’s reach into the rail sector.

“Partnerships are the reason I am here. There is enormous alignment between communications technologies and the rail environment, especially on issues like connectivity, data reliability, and communications across moving trains. 

“We came to Rail Live to find innovators and equipment manufacturers we can partner with, learn from them, train our engineers, and bring those technologies back to South Africa and the broader African market,” Jacobs said.

He noted that expanding into the rail sector has long been a strategic ambition for BlueTel, pointing to earlier attempts to collaborate with Transnet on communications improvements for the Blue Train. 

Jacobs emphasised Africa’s growing demand for modern infrastructure and the company’s commitment to driving technological advancement on the continent.

“Africa is where things are happening. Our goal isn’t to take our expertise to Europe. It’s to bring the best global innovations back home. We want to position ourselves as the bridge between international technology providers and African markets,” he explained.

Since arriving at the expo, BlueTel has already experienced exceptional interest from international firms looking for a reliable partner to enter the South African and broader African markets.

“In the first five to six hours, I made more leads than I normally make in six months. There are strong indications that the companies I engaged with here want to enter the South African market. Because we operate nationally, with offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town, we are well positioned to offer clients an immediate footprint, storage facilities, and a trusted partner on the ground,” noted Jacobs.

BlueTel credited the dtic’s Outward Selling Mission for enabling South African companies to showcase their strengths on a global platform, explore new sectors, and attract partnerships that support South Africa’s industrial growth objectives.

“The support from the dtic has given us exposure we would not have achieved on our own. It has opened doors to opportunities that can shape the future of our business and contribute to the development of Africa’s ICT and rail sectors,” Jacobs said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau says South Africa continues to benefit from a wide network of preferential and non-preferential trade agreements covering 90 countries, representing 28% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 

Tau was addressing the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition supported by Deputy Minister Alexandra Abrahams on the state of South Africa’s trade relations, progress in ongoing negotiations, and the country’s strategy to navigate an increasingly volatile global trading environment. 

In a statement on Tuesday, Tau told Parliament that global trade is undergoing seismic shifts, with rising unilateral measures, retaliatory tariffs, and disruptions in the multilateral trading system. 

“The share of world trade governed by WTO [World Trade Organisation] rules has already dropped from 80% to 72% in 2025. These shifts, driven by growing geopolitical tensions and great-power competition, are creating uncertainty and weakening predictable rules-based trade,” he said. 

Tau said there is a need for South Africa to strengthen its industrial base, diversify trade partners and build greater economic resilience.

He emphasised the importance of African economic integration, revealing that significant momentum has already been recorded under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).  The AfCFTA which entered into force in May 2019, is expected to boost trade and economic growth on the continent. Trading under the AfCFTA regime commenced January 2021. 

“South Africa exports under the AfCFTA have increased from R485 million in 2024 to R1.386 billion in the first seven months of 2025. Imports under AfCFTA also rose substantially. 

“South Africa implemented the agreement in January 2024, and by 2025, 24 African countries had begun trading preferentially. 
“New market access is now unlocked in 13 non-SADC [Southern African Development Community] countries. Recent breakthroughs include agreement on critical rules of origin for autos and textiles, opening new opportunities for South African industry,” he said.

He said South Africa continues to engage the United States on a reciprocal trade deal that will lower the current tariff imposed that will make South African exports more competitive.

“While South Africa’s access to the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) expired at the end of September, there is strong bipartisan support in Washington for renewal. And current proposals include a one-year and a two-year extension, though no bill has yet been tabled,” the Minister said. 

The Minister highlighted the Butterfly Strategy adopted by the department to mitigate global risk and expand export growth, and said it will assist with objectives to grow South African exports from R2 trillion to R3 trillion by 2030. 

“We will focus our efforts on implementation and adopt a coherent approach to our trade agenda,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Government of South Africa

Thursday, November 27, 2025

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted US President Donald Trump’s intention to bar South Africa from attending the G20 Leaders’ Summit in the United States next year, calling his remarks “regrettable” and rooted in misinformation.

“South Africa is a member of the G20 in its own name and right. Its G20 membership is at the behest of all other members. South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democratic country and does not appreciate insults from another country about its membership and worth in participating in global platforms. 

“South Africa respects the sovereignty of all countries and will never insult or demean another country or its standing and worthiness in the community of nations,” the Presidency said in a statement issued on Thursday. 

In a post on social media platform, Truth Social, on Wednesday, President Trump said that South Africa would not be invited to next year’s Group of 20 Summit in the US. According to the post, this is due to the handover of the G20 Presidency and disinformation about white genocide.  

During the course of the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit last weekend, the South African government indicated that there would be no traditional handover ceremony between South Africa and the United States.

On Thursday, President Ramaphosa reiterated that South Africa would continue to play a full, active and constructive role in the G20 and called on member states to recommit to multilateralism, consensus and equal participation.

“It is regrettable that despite the efforts and numerous attempts by President Ramaphosa and his administration to reset the diplomatic relationship with the US, President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country,” the Presidency said.

President Ramaphosa said the G20 South Africa 2025 Leaders’ Summit, held in Johannesburg, and attended by several Heads of State and Government, had been widely praised as one of the most successful summits in recent years. 

The summit adopted a declaration affirming the “indisputable strength and value of multilateralism” in addressing global challenges.

The Presidency said that because the United States did not attend the summit, the instruments of the G20 Presidency were formally handed to a US Embassy official at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation headquarters.

“As one of the founding members of the G20, South Africa has always valued the spirit of consensus, collaboration and partnership that defines the G20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation,” the statement read.

The Presidency added that the United States had been expected to participate in all G20 engagements during South Africa’s Presidency but had elected not to attend the Johannesburg summit out of its own volition.

Despite the US government’s absence, The Presidency noted that American businesses and civil society organisations participated in large numbers in associated events including the B20 and the G20 Social. – SAnews.gov.za