Industry Minister Discusses Industrial Cooperation with South Africa

Damascus, (ST) – Minister of Industry Ahmed Al-Hamo discussed on Thursday with the Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa in Damascus, Shaun Byneveldt the areas of industrial cooperation between the two countries and the possibility of benefiting from the technologies and industrial expertise in South Africa to develop the capabilities of industrial companies in Syria.

 Mr. Al-Hamo confirmed the Ministry’s readiness to provide the necessary facilities for the establishment of industrial projects in cooperation with South African companies, especially in the pharmaceutical industries, hollow glass industries and investment of basalt stone for the production of rock wool and basalt pipes in addition to cooperation in renewable energies and industrial sectors.

For his part, Mr. Ambassador expressed his country’s keenness to improve economic relations with Syria and to invite businessmen in his country to invest in Syria and establish joint industrial projects and contribute to the reconstruction process.

 He pointed to the possibility of benefiting from the services and support provided by the BRICS-affiliated Development Bank in establishing projects and investments in Syria.

Construction Projects with South Africa Discussed

On Wednesday, Minister of Public Works and Housing, Hussein Arnous, discussed with Ambassador of South Africa in Damascus, Shaun Byneveldt, the prospects of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of providing technical support and the engineering machinery for reconstruction projects.

For his part, Mr. Arnous pointed out that the options for cooperation between the two countries are diverse, whether with the companies of the public sector or the private sector, calling for studying the possibilities of providing technical and engineering support to Syria or providing a credit loan through which the ministry can ensure the needs of construction companies of machinery and equipment.

For his part, Byneveldt referred to a possible visit of the South African Deputy Foreign Minister at the end of next April to Syria to discuss the draft agreements between the two sides and study the needs of the ministry and its affiliated bodies of engineering machinery as well as coordination between businessmen and large companies working in the field of building and reconstruction from South Africa and Syrian contractors and government companies operating in the same field.

Sh. Kh.