Associated Press

Singapore, April 22:

Singapore and South Africa have agreed to begin free trade talks later this year, as the wealthy city-state seeks to expand its economic access to African states. An accord with Johannesburg would be Singapore’s first with an African state. “On bilateral relations, South African president Thabo Mbeki agreed to commence talks between the Southern African Customs Union and Singapore on a free trade agreement this year,” Singapore’s senior minister Goh Chok Tong said in a statement issued yesterday. Mbeki met Singapore leaders yesterday before heading for the Asia-Africa Summit in Indonesia. The statement said the union, “will discuss this proposal.”