PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE 16TH SA EU MINISTERIAL POLITICAL DIALOGUE

The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ronald Lamola, and Ms Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, co-chaired the 16th Ministerial Political Dialogue (MPD) between South Africa and the European Union (EU) on Wednesday, 19 February 2025, in Cape Town. Minister Lamola was joined by various South African Cabinet Ministers. South Africa and the EU enjoy a strategic relationship characterised by multi-dimensional bilateral cooperation, which is long-standing and mutually beneficial. Diplomatic relations between South Africa and the EU were formally established in December 1993, on the eve of the new democratic dispensation in South Africa. The Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA), concluded in 1999 created a framework to strengthen and diversify bilateral cooperation through: Enhanced political dialogue Cooperation in trade and trade-related areas Economic cooperation Cooperation in technical areas; and Development cooperation. The TDCA also established a Political Dialogue between South Africa and the EU at the Ministerial level, serving as a mechanism to review progress on various areas of bilateral cooperation and discuss enhancing cooperation on regional and global developments of mutual interest. To date, Seven Summit Meetings have been held since 2007, with the Eight Summit scheduled for 13 March 2025. The 16th MPD Meeting thus occurs at an opportune time to prepare for the Eight Summit Meeting to be hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa.