Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias paid a visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg during his visit to South Africa on Tuesday.
The minister also paid a visit to the Corinthians Greek Sporting Club, where he spoke with athletes, and the Greek school Saheti, where he was joined by Metropolitan Damascenos of Johannesburg and Pretoria. He also met with members of the Federation of Hellenic Communities of South Africa, and expressed Greece’s pride “for managing to prosper all these years through difficult conditions.”
In Pretoria, the FM met with his South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, and told her that “Greece has a rising and active interest in Africa,” and would like to boost its relations with South Africa.
He also thanked South Africa for its support in Greece’s candidacy as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2025-2026 term, and requested the country’s assistance in receiving such support from sub-Saharan countries.
It was the first visit of a Greek foreign minister in South Africa in 25 years. On Wednesday, Dendias will visit Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, for the first-ever visit by a Greek minister to Mozambique.
Mozambique
During his visit to Maputo, the Greek minister is expected to meet with the Foreign Minister of Mozambique, Verónica Μacamo. The signing of an MOU on political deliberations is expected to be signed after the end of the meeting.
Later, he will be received by Prime Minister Adriano Afonso Maleiane. Meetings are to be held with the Transport and Communications Minister Mateus Magala, the Metropolitan of Zambia and vicar of Mozambique Ioannis, with members of the Greek Community in Maputo and with the Secretary of State for Youth and Employment Oswaldo Petersburg.
Dendias will also meet with the the chief of the Εuropean Union Training Mission in Mozambique (EUTM) as well as with Greeks serving in EUTM.
The meetings are expected to focus on further strengthening the cooperation between Greece and the specific countries in a wide range of sectors, including the economy, investments and culture.
This is Dendias’ seventh visit to sub-Saharan countries, which indicates the importance Greece places on enhancing its relations with the specific area.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
