President Ramaphosa arrives in Canada for the G7 Leaders’ Summit

Toronto - President Cyril Ramaphosa has today, Friday, 08 June 2018, arrived in Toronto, Canada, to participate in the G7 Leaders’ Summit Outreach to be held in Québec City under the theme “Healthy, Productive and Resilient Oceans and Seas, Coasts and Communities”.
 
The President will participate in the two-day session by the Summit host, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.
 
President Ramaphosa’s participation in the G7 Leaders’ Summit Outreach coincides with his drive to attract investment to grow the economy, create jobs and address poverty and inequality in South Africa.
 
President Ramaphosa will commence his visit by engaging with investors and business people in Toronto. The President is accompanied by Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa and a business delegation from South Africa.
 
The focus of the G7 Outreach meeting on Healthy, Productive and Resilient Oceans and Seas, Coasts and Communities, is in line with the goals outlined in South Africa’s National Development Plan and speaks to the country’s efforts to stimulate economic growth and job creation by, amongst others, unlocking the oceans economy through Operation Phakisa.
 
South Africa seeks to achieve these goals through Operation Phakisa, which has also been adopted as part of Government’s economic transformation agenda.
 
The six focus areas identified under Operation Phakisa are Marine Transport and Manufacturing, Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Marine Protected Areas and Ocean Governance, Aquaculture, Marine and Coastal Tourism, and Small Harbors and Coastal Property Development.
 
South Africa’s participation in the G7 Leaders’ Summit Outreach signals its renewed engagement in the Group’s Outreach initiative.
 
The two-day session will begin with a dinner for the Outreach Leaders hosted by the Governor-General of Canada on Friday, 8 June 2018, in Québec City.

On 9 June 2018, President Ramaphosa will participate in a working session at Le Manoir Richelieu in La Malbaie in the Charlevoix region followed by a working lunch.
 
The G7 consists of Canada, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy. Other states whose leaders have been invited to participate in the Leaders’ Summit Outreach include Kenya, Senegal, Rwanda, Seychelles, Haiti, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Samoa, Argentina, Norway and Jamaica.
 
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, United Nations (UN) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will also be in attendance.


Media enquiries: Khusela Diko, Spokesperson to the President, on 072 854 5707
 
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria