Brand South Africa is rolling out the country’s 2020 international programme to attract and develop a network of citizens living and working in Australia. Dubbed the Global South Africans Programme, the platform aims to inspire South African expats from business to government to ordinary citizens – to contribute towards the promotion of a positive image of the Nation Brand.
South Africa is one of Australia’s largest export market in Africa, with a two-way trade in goods and services totalling AUD 3.6 billion. The country is also Australia’s most significant investment partner in Africa, with bilateral investment approaching AUD 15 billion. With over 189,000 South Africans living in Australia, the country anticipates exponential growth in its brand ambassadors across Australia to attract foreign direct investment, tourism, and help create a positive and compelling Nation Brand image.
Speaking from Perth in Australia, Ms Thulisile Manzini, Acting CEO of Brand South Africa said that Brand South Africa had created the Global South Africans Programme with the conviction that “you and other South Africans like you are a priceless resource for our country – your country – as we strive to position ourselves as global players in an increasingly competitive world.”
“South Africans living or travelling abroad will very often be the first point of contact and reference for people overseas, whose perceptions and decisions have a profound impact on the attractiveness and competitiveness of our country,” said Manzini, adding that “these Global South Africans can show the world what South Africans are made of, why we are worth investing in and partnering with and how we can help find creative solutions to solve a range of the world’s problems, from poverty to climate change to violent conflict,” Manzini said.
“To this end, we have planned a number of engagements in Perth and Melbourne to connect with South Africans there to have meaningful conversations about how we can position our country as an investment destination of choice. In Perth, we have partnered with Cricket South Africa, to garner support for the South African women’s national cricket team, who are competing in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia,” she said. The Proteas women will be playing against England in Perth on February 23, 2020.
In Melbourne, the country is hosting a business engagement to showcase its investment opportunities. The engagement will be attended by key business leaders, various stakeholders and the media. “We call on all South Africans living in Australia to join the movement and become active ambassadors for our country,” she concludes.
Source: Brand South Africa
