(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Raynald C Rivera | The Peninsula
DOHA: South Africa can assist on food security efforts of Qatar, a country which South Africa has a soft spot for, said South African Ambassador Faizel Moosa.
'There are lots of trade happening at the moment between South Africa and Qatar on Qatar's food security requirements. South Africa can and do offer in terms of food security particularly on the meat side, the envoy told The Peninsula on the sidelines of the ongoing ninth Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF).
'The quality of our meat is very good and most of our abattoirs in South Africa are Halal accredited. I think the Halal certification of our meat has been attracting many Qataris. In addition, we also have a very mature processed food industry, noted Moosa.
He stressed South Africa has a great deal to offer to Qatar not only exporting products but also expertise in agriculture, among other things, as Qatar sets up facilities to meet its food security goals.
'It's not just about the blockade; we want to establish good relationship with Qatar in the long term. We have a soft spot for Qatar considering the blockade. We have also been through a political process where South Africa was isolated in the Apartheid years and we understand that a country needs to survive and we want to assist them in that regard, he said.
Bilateral ties between the two countries have not been this warm, evident in the exchange of high level visits including former South African President Jacob Zuma's visit to Qatar in 2016 and H H Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's visit to South Africa last year, in addition to visits by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
The foreign ministers of the two countries will be meeting this year which will likely pave the way for signing of agreements in several fields.
'They are going to meet this year to sign a number of agreements on different levels to bolster the relationship on health, defence, education and trade, he said, adding this would mark an important chapter in the South Africa-Qatar relations.
With regard to the South African community, Moosa, who has just assumed office as South Africa's ambassador to Qatar three weeks ago, said a major part of the embassy's strategy is to bring the 6,000-strong community together.
'We feel that we need to reach out to them so they can present our South African-ness and the Nelson Mandela in all of us to the Qatari community, he said.
Marking the 100th birthday of the late Nelson Mandela, who has been a revered unity and freedom icon globally, the embassy is organising South African National Day on April 26 with Mandela's grandson as guest of honour, he said.
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