President Ramaphosa in Saudi Arabia for state visit

By
Jerry Omondi
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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a state visit, aimed at boosting ties between the two nations.

The president was welcomed into the Kingdom by King Salman in a ceremony held at the Royal Court in Jeddah.

Ramaphosa’s visit comes on the back of a trip to Nigeria, where he held talks with President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement, the South African president’s spokesperson Khusela Diko said the visit would focus on bilateral ties, particularly on increasing investment and diversifying trade relations.

“The purpose of the state visit to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to assess the status of bilateral relations‚ while focusing primarily on strengthening economic linkages between SA and Saudi Arabia‚ particularly in terms of increasing inward investment and diversifying the trade relationship‚” Diko said.

The state visit will also present an opportunity for SA to increase co-operation with Saudi Arabia in the light of the country’s new strategy for Africa.

After completion of the Saudi Arabia visit, President Ramaphosa will head to the United Arab Emirates.

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