Foreign Office and DFID Minister arrived in Johannesburg on
31 January for a two-day visit to South Africa.
She held talks with senior South African government officials,
the business sector and civil society to discuss the UK-South
Africa bilateral relationship, regional African issues, as well
as trade and investment with the UK’s largest trading partner in
Sub Saharan Africa.
She also visited a school to see first-hand how an investment
from CDC, DFID’s private sector investment arm, is digitally
upskilling future generations and boosting education, which will
lead to better UK investment and trade in the long-term.
The visit to South Africa is the first by a Government Minister
since the Prime Minister’s trip last August, during which she
pledged a renewed partnership between the UK and Africa, to help
secure stability, jobs and growth.
Minister for Africa said:
The UK values its partnership with South Africa because we both
share the drive for a better and more secure world - speaking
out on issues that affect us all such as poverty, climate
change and security.
South African leadership is crucial internationally. South
Africa has one of the largest economies in sub-Saharan Africa
and plays an important role in regional institutions such as
the African Union. It is the only African member of the G20 and
BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
We are working closely with South Africa during their
membership of the UN Security Council in 2019-20. We are
cooperating closely on African issues, particularly on the
current situation in Zimbabwe and the recent elections in DRC,
as well as promoting the UN agenda on Women, Peace and
Security.
Minister Baldwin then travelled to Mozambique for a two-day trip,
her first official visit to the country since taking office in
January 2018. She held meetings with various Ministers and met
representatives of the different political parties in a show of
support to the peace process.
The Minister also saw UK aid in action visiting a DFID-funded
project which empowers young and disadvantaged women with skills
for employment, as well as a mobile health clinic, which through
UK aid, is helping young women access vital family planning
services.
Minister for Africa said:
I was delighted to visit Mozambique and to see such rich
provinces like Manica, Sofala and Maputo. The UK and Mozambique
are united as members of the Commonwealth family.
As Minister for Africa, I look forward to strengthening this
relationship further by supporting the peace process, and
increasing trade relations including the creation of three new
honorary consuls for prosperity.
Empowering women and girls is crucial for our future, in the UK
and in Mozambique, enabling the whole of society to contribute
to growth and development. It was great to see the programmes
that the UK government funds and to meet inspiring young
businesswomen and students who have benefitted from the UK’s
Chevening scholarship programme.
Minister Baldwin also announced the creation of three new
Honorary Consuls for Prosperity that will support the growth of
economic and commercial ties between the UK and Mozambique for
the cities of Pemba, Beira and Tete.
The new honorary consuls will help increase commercial, economic,
cultural and scientific relations between the UK and Mozambique
and advance friendly relations. They will provide advice and
guidance to identify potential areas for mutual prosperity
between UK and Mozambique.
