ISDS Case Map
South Africa
A former chief economist in New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says South Africa should consider joining a Free Trade Agreement that exists between Singapore, New Zealand, Chile and Brunei (P4).
The two-day visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, is being projected as a decisive step in the consolidation of relations between three important countries of the South - India, Brazil and South Africa.
Indian, Brazilian, and South African business leaders have identified key issues that have to be addressed to allow the more rapid development of broader and deeper economic relations between the three countries.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday spoke strongly in favour of the newly emerging trilateral co-operation between India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA), saying all three countries stand to benefit from it in working for their energy security, creating synergies in trade and technology and in enhanced transport connectivity.
President Thabo Mbeki says IBSA's (India-Brazil-South Africa's) time has arrived to make a mark on world trade. He was addressing the IBSA summit in Brazil and called on developing nations to form strong partnerships and strategic alliances in the wake of the recent collapse of the Doha round of trade talks.
IBSA will be a powerful bloc in south-south cooperation with echoes of ‘non-alignment' in earlier times but from the economic point of view, IBSA is a little fictitious” was Union minister of state for commerce Jairam Ramesh's reported take on this regional formation that includes India-Brazil-South Africa just ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Brazil and Cuba to attend an IBSA and NAM summit.
After a lull in the first half of the year, there appears to be movement on various fronts of SA's trade agenda.
After numerous stakeholder inquiries and intense media commentary, government has finally revealed how it intends to effect the textile and clothing agreement concluded with China in June.
The future of South African investment in mining and precious metals still hangs in the balance as Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has delayed signing laws that will protect the business interests of investors.
The South African government is trying to protect its citizens' rights in the face of Zimbabwean nationalisation moves.
