Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma has met President of the Republic of Congo Dennis Sassou Nguesso to strengthen relations between the two countries, the presidency said on Friday.
The meeting took place in Brazzaville, on the sidelines of the meeting of the international contact group on the Central African Republic, convened to mobilise socio-economic assistance for CAR.
"The two presidents used the opportunity of the visit by President Zuma to discuss the relations between the two countries, which currently offer numerous promising prospects," said spokesman Mac Maharaj.
Sassou Nguesso undertook a State visit to South Africa in April 2010 -the first State visit by a Congolese president since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1993.
Maharaj said a number of agreements were signed during that visit.
"The two presidents reflected on the progress and took note of the encouraging increase of both the volume and the scope of bilateral relations, to the mutual benefit of the peoples of each country...," he said.
Areas of co-operation between South Africa and Congo included aviation, mining, agriculture, railways, telecommunications and arts and culture.
"The presidents noted that there is still room for more trade and investment opportunities for South African businesses in Congo."
Zuma accepted an invitation to undertake a State visit to the Republic of Congo.
In October last year, the department of trade and industry launched the South Africa/Republic of Congo joint trade committee.
At the inaugural meeting, the committee adopted and signed the rules of procedure for the joint trade committee and agreed on the membership of the body.
Both countries were to institute multifaceted measures to strengthen trade and investment relations. - Sapa
IOLSA