President Ramaphosa's Visit to France Reinforces Business and Investment Ties
President Cyril Ramaphosa's official visit to France highlighted the growing strength of the economic partnership between South Africa and France, placing business, investment and long-term collaboration at the centre of bilateral relations.
A key moment of the visit was President Ramaphosa's engagement with the French business community. He attended a dinner hosted by President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, bringing together 20 leading French companies, and held individual meetings with nine French businesses to discuss investment opportunities, economic cooperation and South Africa's business environment.
During each of these individual meetings, President Ramaphosa emphasised South Africa's significant needs in both basic and higher education, with particular focus on technical and vocational training. By highlighting the importance of developing skills aligned with industry needs, he reinforced the role that international partnerships can play in supporting economic growth, job creation and the country's long-term competitiveness.
These high-level engagements demonstrate the importance both countries place on strengthening commercial ties and creating an environment that encourages investment, innovation and sustainable growth. For the FSACCI network, they reaffirm the value of continued dialogue between government and the private sector in unlocking new opportunities for businesses operating between France and South Africa
FSACCI Chairperson Dr Yves Guénon attended the official engagements in Paris, reflecting the Chamber's ongoing commitment to supporting stronger economic relations and facilitating meaningful connections between French and South African businesses.
As France remains one of South Africa's leading investors, these discussions reinforce the confidence of the French business community in South Africa while highlighting education (especially technical education), skills development and innovation as key pillars of future collaboration. The outcomes of the visit create further opportunities for trade, investment and partnerships that will benefit businesses across the FSACCI network.
