South Africa wants Turks to invest in jewelry

Sevil Küçükkoşum ANKARA

Turkey has many jewelry companies with high standards in design and production, and South Africa wants to benefit from the country’s expertise in this industry. DAILY NEWS photo

Turkey has many jewelry companies with high standards in design and production, and South Africa wants to benefit from the country’s expertise in this industry.

Seeking to boost economic relations with Turkey, the South African ambassador to Ankara, Vika Khumalo, has called on Turkish businessmen to consider investing in the agricultural, minerals, clothing and textile, auto and mining sectors in his country.

“We want to focus on the jewelry sector in particular,” Khumalo told a group of journalists yesterday. “We’re a mining country. That means we have lots of resources but we require jewelry skills. We can only capitalize on those resources with good skills. We are very happy that Turkey is working with us on this.”

Khumalo observed that many Turks are highly skilled in the craft of jewelry-making and could improve the skills of South African designers.

“Whether it be gold, diamonds or other precious stones, we are holding about 80 percent of the global reserves,” Khumalo said.

South Africa and Turkey agreed to further develop their relations by establishing a joint economic commission in 2008.