"Bulgaria has the ambition to intensify its cooperation with the Republic of South Africa, which is a key factor in international relations and on the African continent". This was stated by the Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who met in Pretoria with the President of the Republic of South Africa - Cyril Ramaphosa.

Opportunities to expand cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, transport, tourism, education and science were the focus of the meeting of the two presidents. The remarkable growth in economic exchange last year between Sofia and Pretoria of nearly 200% was also reported on it. The Republic of South Africa is among the most economically developed countries on the continent. It has a strategic partnership agreement with the European Union and is among the 20 most developed economies in the world. President Rumen Radev highlighted the opportunity for Bulgaria to become a logistics center for the export from RSA to the EU, as well as the interest of our country in developing a similar partnership with Pretoria in the sub-Saharan region.

A business forum was also opened in Pretoria with the participation of over 30 Bulgarian and 70 South African companies, where investment opportunities in both countries were presented. Mechanical engineering, the production of automobile components, agriculture, high technologies, transport and tourism were singled out as promising spheres of economic cooperation.

Radev and Ramaphosa discussed the promotion of tourism exchanges and contacts between businesses through visa liberalization. The two presidents emphasized the interest of Bulgaria and South Africa in partnership in the field of energy and building a green economy.

At the invitation of the Association of Bulgarians in the Republic of South Africa, President Rumen Radev will attend the consecration of the first Bulgarian Orthodox church in the Republic of South Africa "St. Ivan Rilski" in the suburb of Midrand, near Johannesburg.

The church will be consecrated by Metropolitan Cyprian of Stara Zagora. It is the first BulgarianOrthodox church not only in the Republic of South Africa, but also on the entire African continent. A handful of soil from Bulgaria was laid in its foundations.

The church was built with funds allocated by Bulgaria, also with many donations.

On the second day of his visit to the Republic of South Africa, President Rumen Radev will meet with the Bulgarian community.

The biggest wave of Bulgarian emigrants to South Africa was in the 1990s. Currently, about 4 thousand of our compatriots live there permanently.

Eight years ago, with money from donations and funds provided by the Bulgarian government, the Association of Bulgarians in the Republic of South Africa bought a center in Midrand, where the Bulgarian community would gather. For more than 10 years, our compatriots in South Africa have had a dance group.

There is a Bulgarian Sunday School at the Association of Bulgarians in South Africa in Johannesburg and Cape Town. At the moment, over 30 children are being educated there.

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