- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is concluding his four-day Africa tour in South Africa with meetings scheduled with President Cyril Ramaphosa and Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola in Johannesburg.
- Wadephul is expected to emphasize the shared commitment to multilateral approaches to global challenges in a speech at the South African Institute of International Affairs at the University of the Witwatersrand.
- South Africa is Germany’s most important economic partner on the African continent, with a trade volume of around €20 billion ($22.8 billion) in 2025 and nearly 600 German companies operating in the country.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is concluding his four-day Africa tour in South Africa on Thursday, with separate meetings scheduled with President Cyril Ramaphosa and Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola in Johannesburg.
Wadephul is also due to deliver a speech at the South African Institute of International Affairs at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he is expected to emphasize the shared commitment to multilateral approaches to global challenges.
Earlier in the day, Wadephul is set to visit Siemens Energy South Africa and tour its production facilities. The company employs more than 300 people at its South African site, producing turbines and generators for power plants, equipping solar and wind farms, and participating in consortium bids for tenders to expand the South African grid.
South Africa is the largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa and, with a trade volume of around €20 billion ($22.8 billion) in 2025, by far Germany’s most important economic partner on the African continent.
With nearly 600 German companies operating there, the country is, in Wadephul’s words, a central anchor point for German business in Africa.
Experts say the country also has significant potential for cooperation on raw materials. Since 2025, a raw materials partnership has been in place between the European Union and South Africa.
