South Africa’s ambassador to Chile, Dr Hilton Fisher, says South Africa should strive for higher growth, business development and a stronger presence in international markets, as the country has consistently been recognised by credible international surveys as having an environment conducive for business.

“We must focus on ensuring that South Africa moves towards the next phase of socioeconomic transformation and targets a cycle of growth and development,” he said.

Speaking at a trade and investment seminar in Santiago, Chile, as part of the Department of Trade and Industry’s Outward Trade and Investment mission to the South American State, Fisher pointed out that South Africa ranked highly in terms of the sanctity of contract, intellectual and property rights and business sophistication.

“The World Economic Forum’s 2013 Global Competitiveness Report ranked South Africa fifty-second out of 144 countries surveyed. Forbes Magazine and the World Bank (WB) also ranked South Africa as the best country in Africa for doing business, while the WB also placed the country thirty-ninth out of 185 countries in terms of the ease of doing business,” he added.

He encouraged Chilean businesspeople to invest in South Africa, saying that the African State offered a unique combination of highly developed First World economic infrastructure and a vibrant economy.

Chile–South African Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Chisa) president Santiago Montt added that the two countries had “a lot in common” in terms of what they wanted to achieve.

“Chisa wants to present Chile as a port of entry into Latin America, just as South Africa wants to present itself as a port of entry for investment into Africa,” he remarked.

He told the delegates that Chisa was willing to assist businesses with information on how they could improve trade between the two countries, adding that the chamber had established a presence in both South Africa and Chile.