Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin heads economic and scientific mission to South Africa

Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), will visit South Africa from 5 to 8 July with a large delegation representing economic and scientific stakeholders. During the mission, he will hold talks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, as well as sign a memorandum of understanding and meet with multiple government ministers. The mission aims to deepen bilateral economic relations while reaffirming Switzerland's commitment to cooperation in economic and scientific activities and in the field of labour and employment. A courtesy meeting will be held in Pretoria between Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Mr Parmelin will also meet with finance minister Enoch Godongwana and labour minister Thulas Nxesi. The EAER head will sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the area of labour and employment and launch the new Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work programme. The following day, Mr Parmelin will attend a presentation on the Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO), a project to build the world's largest radio telescope that Switzerland joined earlier this year.