The bilateral trade volume between Qatar and South Africa stood at QR1.26bn ($347.4m) in 2018, which is expected to witness significant jump in the coming years as both the countries are in the process of establishing a direct shipping line between the iconic Hamad Port and South Africa’s deepest port facility near Cape Town, according to a senior diplomat.
The Ambassador of South Africa to Qatar, Faizel Moosa, while speaking to The Peninsula yesterday, said that concerned officials from both sides have accelerated the efforts to expand and deepen the level of trade and investment cooperation, and also to make the exchange of goods and services more smooth, balanced and sustainable for mutual interest.
“Transnet of South Africa is working with Milaha (Qatar Navigation) and other concerned parties to have shipping services between Hamad Port and Struis Bay port, the deepest port in our country which can receive any size of vessels,” Ambassador Moosa added.
“The port facility can be used to import, export and re-export of goods to other countries in Africa such as Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, and other landlocked nations in the continent.”
Qatar and South Africa have signed agreements in the past to expand cooperation in several promising areas, including agriculture, livestock and other sectors. Currently Transnet SOC Ltd is in negotiation with Milaha to sign a final deal. The Johannesburg-headquartered Transnet is a very large and integrated South African rail, port and pipeline company which operates about eight ports and some 23,000km of rail network across the resource rich African nation.
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