On Wednesday 21st August 2013, Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has met with Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of South Africa, during his official working visit to South Africa between 21 – 22 August 2013, after his official visit to Nigeria between 19 – 20 August 2013.

During the meeting, both parties have welcomed the progress of bilateral relations. The Thai Foreign Minister raised important bilateral issues during the meeting, such as trade and investment, cooperation on development, reciprocal support in multinational framework, and Thai-Africa Initiative. He also invited South African President to visit Thailand and attend the High-level dialogue under the Thai-Africa Initiative in February 2014, which the South African minister agreed to arrange an exchange of leader visit between two countries.

After a fruitful discussion, both ministers also signed the Arrangement on Consultation Cooperation and between Thailand and South Africa’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

During this visit, the Thai Foreign Minister also chaired the Meeting of Thai Ambassadors and Consul Generals to the African Region, and urged Thai Ambassadors and Consul Generals to strengthen Thai-African Initiative through sharing of best practices, including Thailand’s strong policy on Universal Health Coverage, and collect in-depth information on respective countries to help shape Thailand’s future policies towards the African region.

This visit of the Thai Foreign Minister to South Africa, the strongest economic power of African region, marks an important occasion to strengthen Thailand and South Africa’s relation, as well as emphasises Thailand’s policy to prioritise African region highlighted by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s visit to Tanzania, Mozambique, and Uganda back in July 2013.