South Africa Business Forum on Green Energy Transition 2023

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday, 20 June 2023, host a joint working visit by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr Mark Rutte, and the Prime Minister of Denmark, Ms Mette Frederiksen.

The visit took place at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.

The Prime Ministers visited South Africa on the 19th and 20th of June 2023 at the invitation of President Ramaphosa.

The Business Forum was held to solidify South Africa’s relationship with Denmark and the Netherlands in the areas of green hydrogen, renewable energy and just energy transition. It is expected that South Africa and the Netherlands will sign the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation on green hydrogen. The visit also brought a substantial group of investors to South Africa to reinforce the high levels of cooperation and good relations between South Africa and two important European partners and entailed a programme of joint bilateral talks and a joint business seminar.

In addition to a meeting with the President, the two Prime Ministers also participated in the Denmark-Netherlands-South Africa Business Forum hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the DTIC).

A delegation that included the CEOs of the Port of Rotterdam, Invest International, which provides financing for projects, as well as the Gasunie, which owns and manages the gas transmission network in the Netherlands, will accompany Prime Minister Rutte. In addition, about 15 private companies formed part of the delegation. Prime Minister Frederiksen was accompanied by a high-level business delegation. 

The Business Forum was held under the theme “Green Energy Transition and Green Hydrogen Partnerships for Impact” which focused mainly on key areas in green energy and green hydrogen.

Ahead of the leaders addressing the business forum, delegates participated in plenary sessions on finance and skills development for local impact; roundtables were encouraged to discussion a number of areas including the greening of industry, port development, industrial development support, green mobility, fuel cells and electrolysers, and green energy generation.