Senator Ian Gorst said that during the trip he wanted to ‘reinforce links’ with Jersey’s ‘partners on the continent’, which include the Rwandan and Kenyan governments.
He was accompanied on the visit by Richard Corrigan, who is the States chief officer for financial services, digital and enterprise and until recently the deputy chief executive of Jersey Finance.
A statement released by the States said that while in Durban Senator Gorst and Mr Corrigan were due to meet several African ministers and industry leaders to ‘discuss areas of mutual cooperation’.
The Jersey government was also invited to a session organised by the Partnering Against Corruption Initiative, which is an anti-corruption and transparency forum, called ‘Addressing Corruption: a Roadmap to Recovery’.
Senator Gorst said that Jersey has ‘positive, strengthening relationships’ with several countries in Africa and would continue to develop them for ‘mutual benefit’.
During the visit he met South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and finance minister Malusi Gigaba.