Africa/ Cape Town: Sister city agreements, travel and trade, are prioritised in meeting with the new U.S. Consul General.
“Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting the recently appointed U.S. Consul General Todd Haskell to discuss strengthening regional relations for continued economic growth”, said James Vos.
U.S. Consul General Haskell, who assumed his position in Cape Town in April this year, is a long-time friend of Africa, having previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Congo and as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of African Affairs.
He stated: In our meeting, I highlighted the robust economic connection between the Cape and the U.S.
Last year, the country ranked as the province’s biggest export market, with Cape products valued at nearly R17 billion making their way into the U.S. This is up 57,5% in 2020.
Further, it has also been the largest investor in the Western Cape by Capex – and in 2021, pumped nearly R3 billion into the province.
Turning to tourism, Cape Town has long been a travel favourite for Americans, with 134 000 US travellers visiting in 2019. In 2021, the U.S. was the biggest overseas single source country for travellers to the Cape.
This thirst for the Mother City was further made evident by the recent United Airlines extension of their New York/Newark – Cape Town route to a year-round, three times per week service, which is expected to generate R523 million in direct spend in its first year of operation; that airline’s regulatory approval request for a year-round service between Washington D.C. and Cape Town; and Delta Airlines application to operate non-stop between Atlanta and Cape Town.
