Germany has agreed to provide South Africa with a new 200 million euro ($234 million) concessional climate loan, while both countries also pledged to strengthen collaboration in areas such as critical minerals, South Africa’s foreign minister announced on Monday.
The funding will support investments in South Africa’s power grid and expand its renewable energy capacity, Minister Ronald Lamola said following discussions in Berlin with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul.
He added that financial backing from Germany and the European Union for green hydrogen projects and cooperation across the battery value chain has also been increased by more than 270 million euros.
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Lamola expressed appreciation for Germany’s continued support, noting it comes at a time when South Africa’s relationship with the United States has been under strain during Donald Trump’s second term in office.
Trump has excluded South Africa from meetings of the Group of 20 this year and has been critical of the country’s foreign policy as well as its domestic race laws. He also boycotted a G20 summit held in Johannesburg in November.
Lamola said: “We feel we are part of it (the G20) because of the support that we have received from Germany and from other G20 members.”
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Image Credit: Reuters
