Johannesburg - The low volumes of bilateral trade between South Africa and Peru mean that opportunities are unlimited for businesspeople from both countries to explore, according to the SA ambassador to Peru, Elsa Dry.
Dry was speaking at a South Africa-Peru business seminar that took place in the capital city Lima. The seminar, which was part of the outward trade and investment mission organised by the SA Department of Trade and Industry (dti).
Bilateral trade between South Africa and Peru totalled just less than R600m last year.
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“The volume of trade between Peru and South Africa remains low, but due to Peru’s prominent role within the region there is lot of space for improved growth.
"Peru’s focus has shifted and is becoming increasingly important for South Africa because of a variety of reasons, but mainly due to the fact that Peru is an important entry point into Latin America,” said Dry.
Peru had appointed an economic and trade attaché as well as a defence attaché in SA during the past two years. The country is also in the process of opening more diplomatic missions in Africa.
“All of these and other initiatives that the country is undertaking in order to increase its presence and importance in South Africa and Africa means that our businesspeople need to take advantage of the opportunities availed by these efforts and work towards increasing bilateral trade between the two countries,” said Dry.
“During the last three years the SA embassy in Lima and the dti have implemented various initiatives aimed at enhancing economic relations and increasing trade between the two countries."
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