[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

By Sinazo Mkoko

24 to 26 October 2023: BRICS Tourism Ministers Meeting 

The Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille will host the BRICS Tourism Ministers Meeting in Cape Town between 24 – 26 October. This follows the successful hosting of the BRICS Summit in South Africa.

According to the department, the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in 2023 will give an opportunity for BRICS members to exchange knowledge and experiences while also deepening cooperation to find consensus on key policy priorities for a balanced tourism recovery.

BRICS members have made strides in promoting alignment on tourism priority areas over the past two years. 

The department stated: “South Africa’s chairship of BRICS will also promote dialogue among BRICS members and build on the successes of the previous chairs as well as advance the aspirations of the BRICS Summits where the leaders acknowledged, among others the urgent need for tourism sector’s recovery and the importance of increasing intra-BRICS tourism for a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive tourism sector.”

1 November: Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement 

On Wednesday, 1 November, the Minister of Finance, Hon. Enoch Godongwana, will table the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) in Parliament.

The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement establishes government policy objectives and priorities, forecasts macroeconomic trends, and projects the fiscal environment for the next three years by establishing spending and income predictions, among other things.

Public Sector Leaders will be covering the MTBPS in for the November edition. Subscribe here

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

2 to 4 November: South Africa hosts 20th AGOA Forum

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel and United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai confirmed that the South Africa government will host the 20th U.S.-sub-Saharan African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA Forum) in Johannesburg, South Africa from November 2-4 2023. 

The Forum brings together the governments of the United States and AGOA-eligible countries and representatives from key regional economic organisations, the private sector, civil society, and labour to engage in discussions on how to strengthen trade and investment ties between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa and how to promote resilient, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth and development. 

Ambassador Katherine Tai said this was an opportunity for the United States to build upon the success of the Africa Leaders Summit and further economic partnership with AGOA countries.

“As President Biden has said, the future is Africa. I look forward to visiting South Africa in November to discuss our shared priorities, reaffirm the Administration’s commitment to the continent, and discuss opportunities to make AGOA more transformative as we deepen our trade and investment relations with the sub-Saharan African countries.”

Hon. Patel said they look forward to the event.

“AGOA has helped to promote the export of African goods to the United States, and we believe there is scope to deepen its impact on African industrialisation. An extension of AGOA beyond 2025 will promote inward investment in Africa and provide benefits to both the United States and African countries. It will also support our efforts to increase growth through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that will cover 54 countries and 1.4 billion people,” he said. 

Read more about the AGOA Summit in the October Edition of Public Sector Leaders:

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

[/et_pb_code][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]