The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Elizabeth Thabethe, has said that Infrastructure Development and skills transfer is vital for Africa’s growth and development. The Deputy Minister was speaking at a business seminar hosted by the Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Algiers.

“In our continued struggle for economic freedom, the South African government will continue to encourage intra-Africa trade through undertaking outward business missions to different parts of Africa in order to implement infrastructure development that Africa is in need of,” said Thabethe.

Thabethe also said that South Africa, like Algeria, seeks to champion the participation of the small and medium enterprises (SME) to play a vital role in mainstream economy. She also urged government and private sector to work together in this regard.

“I take pride in the fact that some of these SMEs are women owned. They have risen above their challenges to be there today and will no doubt contribute to strengthening our economic relations,” she added.

Thabethe challenged South African companies together with their Algerian counterparts not to compete but to seek complementarities and collaborate in their business dealings or joint ventures to explore respective markets for mutual benefits.

Earlier Deputy Minister Thabethe met with the Secretary General of Industry, SME and Promotion of Investment and she also held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Rachid Benaissa.

Thabethe was in Algeria leading a delegation of businesspeople on an Outward Selling Mission and is currently in Tunisia from 7 – 11 May 2013. The purpose of the mission is to create market access of South African value added products and services into new markets and to promote South Africa as a trade and investment destination.