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A High powered Western Cape Cabinet delegation led by Premier Gerald Morkel leaves for the USA on Friday. A Media conference will be held prior to the delegation's departure.

MEDIA CONFERENCE:
7 WALE STREET,
M-FLOOR,
20 April 10, 2001,
11 AM:

BACKGROUND/PRESS RELEASE

Western Cape Premier, Gerald Morkel, and four of his Cabinet members leave for California on Friday (20 April 2001) on a ten-day mission to sign co-operation agreements on a variety of fronts with the American State Government.

The visit by the Premier and his Cabinet delegation comes after a request by California, a state which boasts the sixth largest economy in the world, to the Western Cape to enter into a sister state relationship.

The basis for the agreement which is expected to be signed next week, is a memorandum of understanding to promote and expand effective and mutually beneficial co-operation in the development of the Western Cape Provincial Government and the State Government of California.

Seven specific fields of co-operation have been identified namely trade and investment, agriculture, tourism, education, general public management, social services and information and technology. The Cabinet ministers accompanying the Premier, Ministers Leon Markowitz, David Malatsi, Helen Zille and Gerrit van Rensburg, are mainly responsible for the identified fields of co-operation.

Premier Morkel believes the visit will stimulate major investment in especially Western Cape tourism, the IT industry and the local film industry which was still in its infancy.

A "sister state" task force is to be established to implement mutually beneficial projects. The task force will meet annually alternatively in California and the Western Cape. Ends.

Inquiries: Chris Koole, cell: 0827743462.

Issued by the Office of the Premier, Western Cape, 19 April 2001