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French President Francois Hollande will visit South Africa in mid-October to boost bilateral ties, a senior official announced in Pretoria on Tuesday.
"President Jacob Zuma will host his French counterpart Francois Hollande on a state visit to South Africa on Oct.14 and 15," said Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana- Mashabane.
In March,2011 President Zuma paid his two-day state visit to France.
Stressing "France is South Africa's strategic partnership," Mashabane said,"There are on-going and deepening collaborations in such areas as defense, science and technology, arts and culture, energy and agriculture."
France is South Africa's third largest trading and investment partner within the European Union, while South Africa is France's primary trade partner in Africa.
Approximately 300 French companies are operating in South Africa, employing around 25,000 South Africans. "During the course of his visit, a number of agreements and declarations of intent will be signed in different areas of cooperation," Mashabane said.
She pointed out that the signing of those agreements would signal the expansion of cooperation in such areas as energy, agriculture, transport and infrastructure.
