This first business meeting served to get the Agriculture Committee up and running. We addressed and clarified many organizational issues that will now enable us to work more closely and cooperatively together on mutually beneficial initiatives. The TOR describes the functions and organizational structure of the committee. Also agreed to was the formation of four working groups to address agricultural issues related to market access, institutional development, technology to create wealth, and sustainable development.
Discussions are already underway to develop initiatives by each working group.
Proposed initiatives include exchanging and sharing information with counterparts in both countries through joint seminars, forums, and projects. The private sectors of both countries will be included, where appropriate, so that trade and investment opportunities between the United States and South Africa can be expanded. Along these lines, a U.S.-South Africa agribusiness forum was held on March 27, attracting 72 U.S. and South African agribusiness representatives. Topics discussed included public and private financing, food safety requirements for export and import, transportation of food products, and opportunities for U.S. high-value, intermediate, and bulk products. This forum helped answer many of the questions U.S. agribusiness had about trade with South Africa and opened doors for future collaboration.