Johannesburg: Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) Deputy Minister John Steenhuisen is spearheading South Africa's efforts to enhance trade and investment ties with Europe through a comprehensive working visit to Czechia, Poland, and Germany from 31 August to 10 September 2026. The mission aims to bolster bilateral economic relations and unlock new business opportunities for South African enterprises.
According to South African Government News Agency, the visit is structured around three key European partners, focusing on expanding trade, attracting investment, and deepening industrial collaboration. In Czechia, Steenhuisen will chair the sixth session of the South Africa-Czechia Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation (JCEC), while engaging with businesses to further the DTIC's objectives of investment attraction and export diversification. Czechia, a significant trading partner within the European Union, saw its bilateral trade with South Africa reach US$1.1 billion in 2025, with investments growing in sectors like renewable energy and IT services.
Steenhuisen aims to enhance South African exports to the Central European market and attract Czech investments into key sectors such as renewable energy and electric vehicles. The visit will also serve to advance discussions under the Southern African Development Community-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (SADC-EU EPA) and promote Clean Trade and Investment Partnership (CTIP) projects.
In Poland, Steenhuisen will co-chair the inaugural South Africa-Poland Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation with Deputy Minister Michal Baranowski. The agenda includes government-to-government engagements and a business roundtable. Poland, South Africa's seventh-largest trading partner within the EU, witnessed a bilateral trade increase to US$1.6 billion in 2025. The visit seeks to expand South African exports, attract Polish investments, and explore industrial cooperation in areas such as green manufacturing and robotics.
The final leg of the mission takes Steenhuisen to Germany, where he will meet with key figures like Bavarian Secretary of State Tobias Gotthardt and engage with major investors such as BMW and Siemens. Germany, South Africa's largest EU trading partner, saw bilateral trade grow to US$16.5 billion in 2025. Discussions will focus on supporting industrial development through initiatives like the Global Eco Industrial Parks Partnership (GEIPP) and the Partnering in Business with Germany programme.
Steenhuisen's engagements in Europe are poised to strengthen South Africa's economic partnerships, creating avenues for export expansion, investment attraction, and industrial development. The working visit underscores South Africa's commitment to deepening economic ties with key European nations.
