Deputy President Mashatile concludes Working Visit to France

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile has today, Saturday 24 May 2025, concluded a successful working visit to the Republic of France.

The visit was aimed at reinforcing South Africa’s historic and warm bilateral relations with France by expanding on existing cooperation projects through mobilising investments, as well as identifying new areas of cooperation with specific focus on trade and investment. France has a presence of over 400 French companies employing over 65 000 South Africans.  

The visit began with a Roundtable Business Dialogue organised by MEDEF, which brought together representatives from the French and South African businesses to engage in robust discussions aimed at strengthening new trade and investment opportunities in both countries' markets. The dialogue concluded with a common interest in accelerating the growth of the South African market and in establishing a sustainable trade and investment balance between the two countries.

Deputy President Mashatile further had an opportunity to deliver the keynote address at the inaugural South Africa-France Investment Conference, which took place under the theme "Advancing South Africa-France economic relations". A number of South African Business leaders in sectors such as finance services, health, industrial and manufacturing, real estate, ICT, agroprocessing, energy, mining, infrastructure, transport, and logistics were in attendance.

During the conference, the South African delegation presented an investment project book worth 40 billion dollars in the agro, rail, energy, mining, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and automotive industries, which was well received.

The Deputy President urged business delegates to partner with the government to double trade within two years by attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and financial resources while focusing on critical issues such as unemployment, poverty, inequality, climate change, and transitions in the digital economy.

In line with the Government's ambitious infrastructure development and re-industrialisation plans, the Deputy President conducted three site visits, starting with the SUEZ Global Waste Management Company, which, amongst others, plays an active role in South Africa’s municipal water management and industrial water solutions. He then visited the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP), which operates several contracts, including managing metro rail services in Gauteng, and lastly, Dassault Systèmes, which has ongoing collaborations with the South African aerospace and defense sector.

As part of his programme, Deputy President Mashatile delivered an address at UNESCO's Transforming MEN'talities campaign, an initiative by UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector aimed at changing mindsets and policies by highlighting effective strategies for engaging men and boys in the pursuit of gender equality.

In addition, the Deputy President met with His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, where discussions focused on strengthening trade and diplomatic cooperation as well as cooperation in multilateral fora.

President Macron welcomed the outcome of the conference to host the Investment Conference on a biennial basis to take stock of established partnerships and explore other areas of cooperation. 

President Macron also confirmed his attendance at the G20 Summit and made a commitment to bring a group of business delegates.

The Deputy President also met with his counterpart, Prime Minister of the French Republic, His Excellency François Bayrou who, in the main, appreciated the success of the inaugural South Africa-France Investment Conference that allowed businesses to make the case for South Africa as an attractive and sought-after investment and trade destination.

The Deputy President concluded his trip by visiting the Dulcie September Memorial Square to lay a wreath in remembrance of the South African anti-apartheid political activist who was assassinated on the 29th of March 1988 in Paris.

Deputy President Mashatile was accompanied to France by Dr A Motsoaledi: Minister of Health; Ms S Ndabeni-Abrahams: Minister of Small Business Development; Ms B Creecy: Minister of Transport; Mr G McKenzie: Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture; Ms De Lille: Minister of Tourism; Mr A Botes: Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation; Mr B Manamela: Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training; Mr Z Godlimp: Deputy Minister Trade, Industry and Competition; and Ms S Graham-Mare: Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy.
 

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President at +27 66 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria