Denmark to provide critical skills transfer and assistance to address SA’s water shortage challenges

Press release

As part of Denmark’s continued and strengthening partnership with South Africa, next week’s (2-4 November) Danish Royal Visit to South Africa will coincide with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the country and South Africa’s Ministry of Water and Sanitation which outlines a long term partnership on policy and technology development and knowledge exchange.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Danish Minister for Environment and Food, Mrs Eva Kjer Hansen together with South Africa’s Minister for Water and Sanitation, Mrs Nomvula Mokonyane will sign the MoU at the official Grand Opening of the Danish Business Expo to South Africa on Monday, 2 November 2015 at Turbine Hall in Newtown, Johannesburg.

The MoU will be formalised around major current and future challenges in the South Africa’s water supply and the subsequent areas where Denmark can provide strong partnership particularly around policy incentives for water conservation, management practises and water efficient solutions.

According to the Embassy of Denmark in South Africa, the MoU will play an instrumental role in establishing cooperation on all key stakeholders levels in the water sector from Ministerial, Catchment Management Authorities to Water Boards and Municipal.

Comments Ambassador Trine Rask Thygesen of the Embassy of Denmark in South Africa: “The objective of this MoU is to establish a framework for cooperation between South Africa and Denmark in the water sector. This public partnership will also pave the way for private sector companies in both our countries to partner on smart solutions for water resource management.”

“Danish companies are global market leaders when it comes to water efficiency and waste water management. As such, these Danish companies have solutions that match South African needs. Therefore, I believe there is great potential for South African-Danish partnerships in the water sector, which will help alleviate the current challenges and ultimately uplift communities and create jobs and growth in both our countries.”

The MoU between Denmark and South Africa will include:

• Integrated water resources management;
• Water treatment technologies and management;
• Water and resource efficiency;
• Groundwater protection and management;
• Water governance and science;
• Capacity Building and institutional strengthening

This will serve as a platform for long term cooperative relationship on the basis of equity and mutual benefit.

The Royal Visit of Crown Prince Frederik will also coincide with a business promotion consisting of 47 Danish companies spanning three key industry sectors: Energy, Water & Environment and Agriculture & Food.

HRH the Crown Prince, Minister Hansen and Minister for Business and Growth, Mr Troels Lund Poulsen together with the business delegation will visit both Johannesburg and Cape Town; a considerable time will be spent strengthening commercial relations between Denmark and South Africa.

Denmark and South Africa have a longstanding relationship,  and there are several  completed and ongoing activities where Denmark are working together. Several Danish companies working in the water sector has been operating in SA for many years creating solutions and employment, also in terms of export to the region.

The agenda for both Johannesburg and Cape Town offers numerous workshops and networking opportunities for both Danish and South African businesses spanning the three sectors.  Furthermore, the agenda will include:

• Grand Opening addressed by the Crown Prince in Newtown Johannesburg and Grand Dinner in Stellenbosch in the Western Cape
• Whole day water seminar where  water experts from the SA water sector and water experts from the Danish companies will discuss challenges and solutions
• Visit to Soccer City Stadium where Danish company Grundfos has delivered advanced pumping solutions for water distribution and drainage
• Visit to Drankenstein Water Treatment Plant where Danish Water Utility VCS has worked with capacity building on operations optimization; and
• Social Innovation event in Cape Town where young talent will showcase their innovative ideas and entrepreneurship.

For regular updates on the impending Royal Visit go to the Facebook page Embassy of Denmark in Pretoria or follow the Twitter feed #RoyalVisitSA.