The trade and investment mission to Ghana is a continued effort to consolidate bilateral relations between the two African countries on political and economic levels, the South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Lulama Xingwana, said on Tuesday.

“The importance of Ghana to South Africa as an anchor partner country within the West Africa region, is in a way being recognised and affirmed by the continuous presence of South African delegations in the country,” Xingwana said.

“We also salute the pioneering South African companies that have expanded their businesses to Ghana and contributed more than US$170-million in capital investment. These include Stanbic, Group Five, MTN, Multichoice, Shoprite, Game, Edcon, Trellidor, Bigen Africa, WBHO, Mr Price, Old Mutual and Broll, to name just a few.”

Xingwana addressed an investment seminar, hosted by the department of trade and industry and was attended by South African business people and their Ghanaian counterparts.

Xingwana said relations between the two countries was historic and it demonstrated a collective resolve to alter under-development and set the two countries on a historic path to economic partnership based on solid bilateral trade.

The mission was not only an affirmation of our warm and strong bond, but equally a demonstration of an evolving economic partnership between the two countries, she said.

South Africa’s attitude towards the rest of Africa was that of being a development partner and the net effect of trade and investment was economic development and poverty alleviation that fundamentally contribute towards realising intra-Africa trade, Xingwana said.

“The active economic roles that the two countries play in their respective regions, in a way contribute to the collective lifting of economies of the immediate neighbours thereby consolidating the agenda of regional integration.”