Western Cape Premier Alan Winde recently returned from a 10-day official visit to the United States (US), cementing important relationships with a key trade partner to both South Africa and the Western Cape.

According to Winde: “During a time of heightened diplomatic strain, the Western Cape Government has continuously sought to protect and drive investment, growth and jobs in the province.”

In a statement his office said that the Premier had held high-level engagements with key government and private sector stakeholders in Washington D.C., Atlanta, and New York. In Washington D.C. Winde’s delegation held engagements with representatives of the US State Department, US Foreign Affairs Committee, American Chamber of Commerce, and World Bank.

According to Winde: “The delegation was warmly received – evidence of the goodwill and strong relations the province has worked to establish over the years”.

Winde’s visit commenced with a briefing from trade representatives at the South African Embassy.

“Given the importance of US investments and trade to the Western Cape’s economy, the Premier offered his full support to ongoing negotiation efforts between South Africa and the USA in order to ensure the region can continue to play its part in securing the best deal possible for our province and country…Growing the economy to create more jobs is our apex priority in the Western Cape, and our trade relations with the USA are of critical importance. We embarked on this visit to further nurture our long-standing relationships with various US stakeholders, and to continue to safeguard and promote these relationships in the interests of our residents. The USA is a key market for Western Cape exports and a substantial source of investment into our province, and we will fight to make sure that we keep our mutually beneficial trade ties open and growing,” Winde’s office said.

According to Winde: “The USA is the province’s second-largest export market, with Western Cape exports totaling over R18.32 billion in 2024 – a 2.66% increase from the previous year. The Western Cape now accounts for over 50% of South Africa’s total agriculture and agri-processing goods to the United States. Therefore, advocating for the protection of this key job-creating industry was high on the agenda…The US is also a key source of investment for the Western Cape and was the lead source market for foreign direct investments in the province over the past decade. Sixty-two projects benefitted from a total capital expenditure of over R29 billion between 2015 and 2024, covering several sectors including communications, software and IT services, business services, food and beverages, and pharmaceuticals.”