PRETORIA, April 13 (NNN-SA NEWS) — The President of South Africa’s Black Business Council, Dr Danisa Baloyi, says South Africa should take advantage of the economic opportunities presented by the State of Qatar, especially in agriculture and the ocean economy.

Speaking at the South Africa-Qatar Business Forum here Wednesday, Baloyi said because South Africa had been faced with the challenge of unemployment for years, it should take advantage of opportunities which would help to create more jobs.

She said some of the skills that Qatar could give to South Africa included ship-building, ship maintenance and overall ship engineering. Investment is not only about injecting money in the country, but it is about skills development and ensuring that our young people are employed in sustainable jobs, not temporary jobs, added Baloyi.

She said Qatar had indicated its interest in South Africa’s technology, especially in the energy sector, and there was also a lot that South Africa needed to learn from Qatar about energy as well. They are also interested in mining. They have done a lot in water, and they believe that South Africa is a bit advanced in water-related activities, said Baloyi.

South Africa has been implementing Operation Phakisa for the Ocean Economy for over two years now. It is an initiative that aims to unlock the economic potential of South Africa’s oceans.

According to the government, South Africa’s oceans have the potential to grow from the current 54 billion Rand (about 4.0 billion US dollars) to between 129 billion and 177 billion Rand by 2033 and increase the number of jobs from 316,000 to just over one million. Baloyi said partnerships such as the one the country had with Qatar increased the chances of realising this goal.

The Secretary General of the Qatar Business Council, Mohammed Bin Ahmed M. Al Obaidly, said his delegation was impressed by how South Africa presented investment opportunities to Qatar. We are not only looking into doing business and benefiting the private sector, but we are also looking at exchanging skills development programmes. South African companies have good technologies in petrochemicals and other things, so we are looking to strengthening our partnerships in that field as well,” he added.

We have the right infrastructure as business in Qatar. We want to expand outside our territory and we have seen opportunities in South Africa. We are also expecting the South African delegation to come through to our country to look for opportunities they might want to invest in.”

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK