Van der Bellen in South Africa: Cultural bridges and wine enjoyment!

Van der Bellen in South Africa: Cultural bridges and wine enjoyment!

Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen completed his four -day state visit to South Africa on Sunday, July 6, 2025. The visit, which was characterized by a variety of cultural and economic appointments, included important meetings in Cape Town. In the morning, van der Bellen visited the Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Mocaa), the largest museum of contemporary art on the continent. This institution focuses on colonial history and African traditions and has established itself as a central place for the promotion of contemporary art.

The afternoon was all about the Constantia Glen winery, which is operated by the Vorarlberg family Waibel. Horst Prader, the director of the winery, was positive about the effects of climate change on wine quality in Constantia. "We are optimistic that the quality will continue to improve with climate change," reported Prader. Van der Bellen took the opportunity to meet with foreign Austrians, including Hugo Quixtner, President of Austrian Club Cape Town, who has lived in South Africa since 1972

strengthening bilateral relationships

President Cyril Ramaphosa received van der Bellen on Friday, July 4, 2025, in the Union Buildings in Pretoria. This meeting aimed to consolidate the long -term and strong relationship between South Africa and Austria. The focus of the cooperation is art and culture, higher education, renewable energies, trade and waste management. Both countries maintain friendly and cooperative bilateral relationships based on mutual respect. Despite the geographical distance and different sizes and economic structures, there are common interests in areas such as international cooperation and sustainable development.

ramaphosa and van der Bellen held a plenary session of the business forum to deepen economic cooperation. The South African government informed that the Business Forum offers a space for the exchange between companies from both countries.

cultural and economic connections

Bilateral relationships between Austria and South Africa have developed strongly since the conversion of the Austrian legation into a message in 1962. Austria is perceived as an important economic partner with technological expertise. There is an active commitment in the areas of economy, energy as well as cultural and science exchange. For example, Austria supported the establishment of a solar thermal facility at the Wits University in Johannesburg. These measures illustrate the high level of relevance that South Africa occupies in Austrian international economic policy.

South Africa is not only the largest trading partner in Austria in Africa, but also a crucial player in various international forums. In recent years, imports from South Africa have increased to around 617 million euros in 2024, while exports to South Africa were around 661 million euros. Furthermore, a joint economic forum with over 100 company representatives took place in December 2023 to further promote the exchange of technology and know-how.

Austrian representations in South Africa, including the message in Pretoria and the cultural forum, play an important role in promoting cultural and scientific cooperation. The cultural forum has focused on future topics, including artificial intelligence and climate and circulatory culture, and thus strengthens the Austrian presence in southern Africa.

van der Bellen started the return trip to Vienna on Monday morning, with a stopover in Frankfurt. This ended a significant visit that further consolidated the cultural and economic connections between Austria and South Africa.