Embassy of Belgium in Pretoria

Yesterday we welcomed the participants of the specialist course “From mine to finger: a deep dive into the world of diamonds 💎”. 👉The 2 weeks course is jointly organised by Universiteit Antwerpen, GIBS Business School (Gordon Institute of Business Science) & Antwerp World Diamond Centre . 👉This year’s the 7th edition of the course and the 2nd time that it takes place in South Africa 🇿🇦. 👉Antwerp 🅰️ is one of the world’s most important trade centers for diamond. 👉Discussion on challenges in the industry and opportunities ahead 🤞. Thank you for visiting the 🦁 Flanders house! Koen Vandenbempt Evelien Peeten Nicolas Vandeviver Bart De Wolf Thomas Castrel Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office

“Investing in African Mining Indaba” bringing together the mining community in Cape Town 🌍⛏️ Each year in February, the Mining Indaba brings together global leaders from mining companies, governments, investors and service providers in Cape Town - all focused on shaping the future of the mining industry. This year’s event had a strong focus on long-term economic growth 📈, technological advancements and sustainability 🌱, with a special focus for the mining communities. The conference itself and the city of Cape Town are ultimate hubs this week for networking, collaboration and deal-making 🤝 Our deputy head of the Embassy of Belgium in Pretoria inaugurated the Team Europe Pavilion 🇪🇺 on Monday, showcasing the strength of European innovation and expertise in the mining sector. In partnership with Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) and Wallonia in South Africa - AWEX, Belgian companies presented their cutting-edge technology, global transport solutions and innovative approaches 🇧🇪 We hope this week has sparked valuable connections for our Belgian companies attending: Antwerp World Diamond Centre , BEKA Schréder , Fracht Group, IMM , Jeco Energies , Royal LC Packaging , NANAMI Shipping BV , Prayon , Sarens - each representing Belgium’s forward-thinking and approach to mining and materials 💡 #MiningIndaba #TeamEurope #Sustainability #BelgiuminSouthAfrica

And it’s a wrap for the 2025 #DiploDays. Following an intense week filled with various exchanges and activities, our Ambassador, Paul Jansen together with 🇧🇪 diplomats are ready to resume their missions around the world and defend Belgium’s interests abroad. The Ambassadors had the opportunity to meet and discuss diplomacy challenges with various stakeholders. Cooperation in our international activities is essential. On one of the pictures, our Ambassador is shaking the hand of Princess Astrid. The sister of HM the King leads economic missions around the world to inform and promote Belgian investments and industries. The last on the African continent was to Senegal in May 2023. In the meantime, Princess Astrid has been to Australia, Norway and Brazil. The next economic mission will lead her to India.

We are officially one week into 2025! 🥳 As excited as we are to see what the New Year holds in store, it is always important to reflect on the year that was. Coming off the success of the State Visit to South Africa in 2023, 2024 had big shoes to fill. And what a fantastic year it was! HM the King of the Belgians further strengthened bilateral relations with Namibia during the Royal Visit in April-May, especially in the framework of renewable energy. In September, Minister of Energy, Tinne Van der Straeten, attended the Global African Hydrogen Summit in Windhoek, to further the conversation around green energy solutions. ✅ 🙏 Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation-Namibia and Consulate General of Belgium in Cape Town. Ambassador Jansen presented his credentials in Botswana, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe, three of the seven countries in the Embassy's jurisdiction. 2024 was a year of elections for many Southern African countries, but also for Belgium, and the Embassy opened it's doors for Belgians to cast their vote in the European Parliament and the Belgian Federal Parliament elections. 🗳️ And of course, the Innoptus Solar Team made Belgium proud, coming in first in the Sasol Solar Challenge in Cape Town! 🌞 The year ended on a strong note, with a Joint Commission between Belgium and South Africa that took place in Brussels, attended by Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Alvin Botes, and President of the Board of the Federal Public Service: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium, Theodora Gentzis. Wishing you all the best for 2025!

The European Union (EU) takes note of the proclamation by the Constitutional Council of the results of the general elections held on 9 October, announcing Daniel Chapo as President of the Republic of Mozambique. The EU is extremely concerned by the post-election violence and deplores the considerable loss of lives that occurred so far. We urge all sides to maintain restraint and refrain from any action that may further exacerbate tensions. We also call for accountability and justice to tackle instances of human rights violations. As testimony of the EU’s continued engagement on contributing to strengthening Mozambican democracy and following an invitation by the authorities of Mozambique, the EU deployed an Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to observe the electoral process. EU EOM noted irregularities during counting of votes and unjustified alteration of election results. It called on the electoral bodies for the maximum transparency of the counting and tabulation process. The EU remains available to support Mozambique on the reform of the electoral system. The up-coming EU EOM recommendations could contribute to such reform. The EU encourages the President-elect and the new Administration to swiftly engage in a constructive dialogue with the opposition and with relevant civil society organisations, to restore the social contract with the population and uphold democratic values and human rights. The EU-Mozambique partnership is far-reaching with the Mozambican people as its cornerstone. The EU renews its commitment to support a prosperous and peaceful future for the people of Mozambique. https://lnkd.in/eykBSqAu Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium Embassy of Belgium in Pretoria

📣 The Consulate General of Belgium in Cape Town is looking for a Polyvalent Visa Officer within the consular section. Are you an organized individual who is dynamic, resourceful, flexible and detail-oriented? Want to become an essential part of our diplomatic and consular network, supporting our Consulate General? Find out if you might be the perfect fit for our team! 👉 APPLY BY DECEMBER 31, 2024. For a full job description and more information about the selection process, please visit our website: https://lnkd.in/dQtAz5RZ

Cooling down with the office penguins during a meeting with Wilfried Theunis, country manager South Africa 🇿🇦 at the Flemish Association for Development an Technical Assistance or VVOB. ✅Happy to learn about the work of VVOB in the field of education. ✅The Government of Flanders supports VVOB with "Keep it cool climate education" in South African schools. 🏫 VVOB VVOB in South Africa Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office Departement Kanselarij en Buitenlandse Zaken Departement Omgeving G-STIC: Global Sustainable Technology & Innovation Community

🌍✨ Highlighting Innovation at the Unique Summit in Cape Town! ✨🌍 At the recent Unique Summit in Cape Town, Johan van Resburg and Bernard Linsmeau delivered an inspiring presentation on the collaboration between Bio-Sourcing and Afrigen Biologics (Pty) Ltd. Their partnership showcases a strong commitment to advancing innovative solutions and fostering impactful collaborations in the fields of biotechnology and sustainability. The Unique Summit continues to be a vital platform for exchanging groundbreaking ideas and connecting visionaries who are shaping the future. Congratulations to Bio-Sourcing and Afrigen for their remarkable work and contribution to the summit! #UniqueSummit #CapeTown #Innovation #Sustainability #BioSourcing #Afrigen #Collaboration

🌍 BOTSWANA & BELGIUM: BUILDING A STRONGER FUTURE TOGETHER 🇧🇼🇧🇪 Botswana's President, Duma Boko, recently chose Belgium for his first official mission abroad, marking a significant step in strengthening ties between the two nations. In his address, he highlighted Botswana's commitment to fostering economic growth through a business-friendly environment that supports competitiveness, job creation, and global integration. President Boko also emphasized Botswana's unique strengths as a destination for collaboration, including its political stability, favourable business climate, and strategic location at the heart of Southern Africa. For both Botswana and Belgium, this mission underscores the importance of working together to build stronger economic and cultural ties that benefit both nations. At AWEX, we’re committed to helping Walloon businesses explore and seize these opportunities, creating partnerships that drive growth for both countries. 🌟 #Botswana #Belgium #EconomicPartnership #InternationalCollaboration #AWEX Eric DE CLERCQ Marty Mayne Catherine Bauwens

We welcome our colleague Bernard Quintin as Belgium's new Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and the Federal Cultural Institutions. He was sworn in on Monday 2 December 2024.