Following its recent mission to South Africa and its neighboring countries and with reference to intensive meetings with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of South Africa aiming at implementing a number of development programs in southern African countries, PICA held a technical meeting with South African Ambassador to the State of Palestine, H.E. Ashraf Suleiman. The aim of the meeting was to agree on practical steps to promote the implementation of development cooperation programs between the State of Palestine and South Africa through activities that PICA will implement immediately after Eid al-Fitr.
During the meeting, PICA Director General, Imad Al-Zuhairi, praised the historical relations between the two countries, which stems from the joint determination by late leaders Yasser Arafat and Nelson Mandela. Al-Zuhairi stressed on the importance of continuing to translate these relations into joint development programs that serve the interests of both countries and other friendly countries.
Al-Zuhairi also briefed Ambassador Sulaiman on the results of PICA latest mission to South Africa two weeks ago, which aimed at building common ground for the implementation of development programs in the health and agricultural fields in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations and Cooperation in South Africa. The implementation of such programs will be realized through PICA bilateral, triangular and multilateral programs that serve common interests within international development goals frame.
On the other hand, Ambassador Sulaiman reassured his country’s support for the rights of the Palestinian people to achieve independence and stressed on the importance of implementing these programs that strengthen humanitarian solidarity. He reiterated South Africa’s full commitment to provide the necessary support to further enhance the development process in the African continent through the participation in joint delegations of specialized experts to countries in need.
Both parties agreed on practical steps that eventually lead to the implementation of a number of development programs in the neighboring countries of South Africa, which fall within the interests and priorities of both parties.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Ambassador, Lissiba Machaba, First Secretary, Malosi Kola, third Secretary, Sherine Al-Far and diplomatic attaché, Khaled Abu Qare.
It is worth mentioning that PICA will start implementing development programs in the Kingdom of Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi and Aswatini, especially in the fields of agriculture, health, water and energy. These programs are implemented in accordance with the instructions of H.E, President Mahmoud Abbas, to intensify cooperation with Africa in specific. They also come in accordance with the directions of H.E. Dr. Riad Malki the Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates to mobilize more international solidarity with Palestine through PICA development programs.