During a working visit to South Africa, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor in Pretoria.
"For the renaissance of Ukrainian-African relations, Ukraine seeks to bring cooperation with the Republic of South Africa to a qualitatively new level. We offer a partnership based on mutual respect and benefit. And I am glad that the South African government shares our aspirations," Kuleba said at the meeting, as quoted by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
Kuleba briefed his South African counterpart about the current situation at the frontline and the devastating consequences of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.
He also noted South Africa's participation in efforts to promote President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula.
Kuleba specifically raised the issue of the illegal trafficking of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia. The diplomats also paid special attention to the export of Ukrainian grain and food security in Africa.
A separate topic of the talks was the intensification of cooperation in the digitalisation of public services. Dmytro Kuleba noted that Ukraine is ready to share its best practices in creating a "state in a smartphone".
He also suggested holding a business forum in Kyiv in the near future with the participation of Ukrainian and South African businesses to increase trade and implement mutually beneficial economic projects.
The ministers also discussed cooperation between Ukraine and South Africa within the African Union, intensification of communications with African countries, and Ukraine's participation in African mechanisms for simplified and free trade.
Following the talks, the ministers signed a memorandum on the development of bilateral cooperation in diplomatic education and research.
Kuleba also invited Pandor to pay a visit to Ukraine.
On Monday, Kuleba became the first Ukrainian foreign minister to visit South Africa since 1998.