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President Cyril Ramaphosa received messages of congratulations from a number of Heads of State and Government during a round of telephone calls on Sunday 18 February 2018.

President Ramaphosa took the calls at his official residence in Cape Town on Sunday afternoon.

This followed the President’s officiating at the Armed Forces Inter-Faith Service in Kimberley, Northern Cape, which marked his first public engagement since taking office and his first interaction with the armed forces as Commander-in-Chief.

President Ramaphosa conducted discussions with President Joao Lourenco of Angola; (Angola is Chair of the Southern African Development Community Organ on Politics, Defence and Security); Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Sultan Al Nahyan; Prime Minister Kjell Stefan Löfven of Sweden; Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom, and President Ian Khama Khama of Botswana.

Today, Monday 19 February 2018, President Ramaphosa will be in discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.

President Ramaphosa has warmly welcomed the international interest shown in South Africa and its renewal, and expressed the hope that South Africa would strengthen relations with partners in various parts of the world, as it continues to enhance its attractiveness as an investment destination and trade partner.

This would create more opportunities for South African businesses and contribute positively to the critical effort to create more jobs in the economy.

In addition to the personal calls of congratulation, the Presidency and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation have received a significant number of messages in various formats from Heads of State and Government continentally and globally, as well as from stakeholders and citizens countrywide.

Issued by the Presidency