Austria and Saudi Arabia Sign Two MOUs During President Alexander Van der Bellen’s Visit

Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa extended a warm welcome to President Alexander van der Bellen of Austria during his visit to the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

South Africa and Austria enjoy amicable and collaborative bilateral relations, built on mutual respect and shared values in multilateralism, along with an enhancement in economic and cultural interactions.

The State Visit on Friday, 4 July 2025, provided a chance to fortify the longstanding and strong ties between South Africa and Austria, particularly in the areas of arts and culture, higher education, renewable energy, trade and investment, and waste management.

In the last year, South Africa exported goods worth €617 million to Austria, while imports from Austria reached €661 million.

Despite their geographical distance and notable differences in size and economic structure, both nations have found common ground in international cooperation, trade, and sustainable development.

In the afternoon, Presidents Ramaphosa and Van der Bellen engaged in a plenary session of the Business Forum.

“Austria is a valued partner of South Africa,” President Ramaphosa told reporters after the session.

“This state visit aims to further enhance our long-standing collaboration and strengthen the bonds between our two nations.”

“Our discussions today clearly indicate that this goal is mutually recognized by both Austria and South Africa.”

President Ramaphosa highlighted that two Memoranda of Understanding were signed between South Africa and Austria.

“The first focuses on cooperation in consular affairs, while the second is dedicated to technical vocational education and work-based training, supporting South Africa’s efforts to develop the essential skills required for our economy.”

South Africa stands as Austria’s largest trading partner in Africa, representing nearly one-third of Austria’s total exports to the continent.

Over 25% of all African imports to Austria are sourced from South Africa.

President Ramaphosa noted: “We have recognized that more than 70 Austrian companies have subsidiaries and agencies operating in South Africa.”

Ramaphosa also mentioned discussing the effects of geopolitical events with his Austrian counterpart.

“We reiterated the importance of multilateralism in our collective quest for a world devoid of conflict and war,” President Ramaphosa stated.

“We share the belief that global governance institutions, particularly the United Nations Security Council, require reform to tackle current challenges and realities.”

“We seized this opportunity to discuss the theme we selected for South Africa’s G20 Presidency, which is ‘Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.’”

This theme envisions a world where every individual, community, and country has equal opportunities for growth and prosperity.

President Van der Bellen remarked: “Our nations maintain strong and friendly relations.”

The Austrian delegation included prominent representatives from business, science, art, and media.

“Our objective is clear: we seek to enhance Austria’s presence in South Africa,” President Van der Bellen added.

He revealed that 75 Austrian subsidiaries are presently operating in South Africa, creating 7,000 jobs to date.