08/11/2011

Business leaders from Ireland are seeking to explore the increasingly attractive business environment in South Africa on a targeted trade assignment this week.

The Irish Trade Mission to South Africa will culminate in the official opening of the new Johannesburg office of Enterprise Ireland, the national trade and technology agency. It is hoped that the mission will help open doors for Irish businesses that are considering expanding to South Africa choosing it as a location for business registration.

The mission is being led by Jan O'Sullivan, Ireland's Minister for Trade and Development, who is taking a team of 27 of the nation's top captains of enterprise to explore the business options in South Africa.

Prior to the trip, O'Sullivan said that South Africa is a crucial trading partner for Ireland, and that importance only looks set to increase with the shoring up of the country's already impressive financial benefits and systems.

South Africa is receiving growing praise for being one of the most sophisticated business environment on the continent and easily dominating its position as the powerhouse of economic activity in sub-Saharan Africa. The nation provides around 30 per cent of the total GDP for Africa.