The Embassy of Chile in Pretoria celebrated their National Day on 18 September 2024 at the Ambassador’s residence. H.E. Mr Julio Fiol thanked guests for attending and highlighted areas of mutual interest between Chile and South Africa, including rugby, with Chile participating in the Rugby World Cup for the first time. He also mentioned that Chile is set to sign an agreement with the South African Rugby Union.
Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa, congratulated the Embassy of Chile on behalf of the Government and people of South Africa. He noted the cordial and growing bilateral relations between the two countries, which share a common history of transitioning from non-democratic systems to democracy. This shared history underpins the strong relationship between the nations, grounded in respect for democracy, human rights, and sustainable development.
There has been regular high-level engagement between South Africa and Chile, and it is hoped that this will continue, especially with the forthcoming visit of Chile’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. The meetings of the joint consultative mechanism between the two Deputy Ministers, alongside the tireless efforts of the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition, as well as the ambassadors and business delegation exchanges, have facilitated growth in trade and investments. Key areas of collaboration include agribusiness, capital mining equipment, mining technology and services, and chemicals.
South Africa will continue to work closely with Chile to build strong, mutually beneficial trade and economic relations. The South African Embassy in Santiago works closely with the Chile-South African Chamber of Commerce to promote trade and investment opportunities, especially within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) free trade area and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which offer significant opportunities for Chilean businesses.
“We look forward, Your Excellency, to concluding the Memorandum of Understanding on agriculture soon, so that we can swiftly facilitate investment and technical cooperation in the agricultural sector,” said Honourable Hlengwa.
South Africa values the educational cooperation through the Nelson Mandela Scholarship and warmly welcomes the expansion of the Nelson Mandela Programme to other African countries. This programme is an excellent example of Chile’s growing engagement with the region.
The rich cultural tapestries and breathtaking landscapes of both countries provide a strong foundation for cooperation, particularly in sports, where both nations share a passion for football, rugby, hockey, music, and dance, among other activities.
Guests enjoyed a performance by the South African Police Service Band while basking under the beautiful trees in the cosy garden setting.
by Marion Kate