Pakistan and South Africa signed Agreement on the Establishment of Pakistan-South Africa Joint Commission.

The document was signed by Pakistan High Commissioner to South Africa Mazhar Javed and South Africa’s Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Dr. GNM Pandor, in Pretoria, today [Thursday].

The Agreement provides for an institutional mechanism for bilateral cooperation in all agreed areas of cooperation. Signing of this Agreement will provide an effective mechanism to review, monitor and expand cooperation in diverse areas.

Addressing the occasion, Minister for International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Pandor called the signing of the document a milestone in Pakistan-South Africa relations. She stressed the need to add further substance to bilateral cooperation especially in the fields of Renewable Energy, Agriculture, Health and Higher Education.

High Commissioner Javed expressed the confidence that the Agreement will catalyze bilateral cooperative process, especially in terms of economic relations. He also expressed the hope for an early visit by the Minister to Pakistan, to which the Minister responded affirmatively. In that context he elaborated Government of Pakistan’s “Engage Africa” initiative and the country’s vision to tap the economic potential of its geographical location straddling different geographical regions.

After the signing ceremony, High Commissioner Javed made a brief call on the Minister in which issues of bilateral interest were discussed.

The Joint Commission shall meet every second year alternately in South Africa and Pakistan to review the implementation of programs and action of cooperation undertaken in terms of the agreement and to adopt a programme for future work.