International Cooperation Agreements refers to international working agreements between two foreign regions from different countries. The Province of the Western Cape has entered into a number of cooperation agreements with foreign provinces/regions. These agreements usually focus on particular issues like, trade, agriculture, tourism and education.

The Governorate (Regional Government) of Tunis, Republic of Tunisia, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa, signed a General Co-operation Agreement on 27 June 1996. In the framework of the development of friendship between the regions, the co-operation programmes have as purpose the realization of agreed projects. Both parties have agreed to co-operate in the fields of:

• economic development,
• social development,
• health sector development, and
• cultural development.

The Busan Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa, formed a Co-operation Agreement on 5 June 2000, signed by the Mayor of the Busan Metropolitan City and the Premier of the Western Cape. The governments of Busan and the Western Cape agreed on the:

• promotion of investment
• promotion of co-operation in the fields of trade, science, technology, culture, industry and tourism to mutual benefit
• promotion of the improvement of the social conditions of the people of Western Cape and Busan
• enhancement of cultural links between the two regions.

The State of California, United States of America, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa, signed a Co-operation Agreement on 23 April 2001. Both parties agreed to co-operate in the following fields:

• trade and investment
• agriculture
• tourism
• education and culture
• social services
• other fields that will be agreed upon by the parties.

For more information on California, visit their website

The State of Florida, United States of America, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa, signed a Sister-State Agreement on 22 February 1995. The basis of this Sister-State Agreement is development of mutual co-operation and understanding, in particular in the fields of:

• a free exchange of economic, tourism, trade and cultural information, ideas and programmes, and
• any additional areas of mutual interest.

For more information on Florida, visit their website.

The Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa, formally signed a Co-operation Agreement on 6 July 1999. Both parties have agreed to co-operate in the following fields:

• Trade, industry and tourism to mutual benefit,
• Promotion of the improvement of the social conditions of the people of both regions,
• Promotion of cultural understanding and exchanges,
• Enhancement and development of effective links between the relevant government departments, and
• Promotion of mutual respect for the different cultural traditions of the two regions and their peoples.

In the spirit of a Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of South Africa and the People's Republic of China, as well as the Protocol on the Establishment of Friendly Relations between the Shandong Province, People's Republic of China, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa, signed on 26 November 1998, both provinces agreed to establish a co-operative agreement. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 12 June 2000. Shandong and the Western Cape agreed to co-operate in the following areas:

• agriculture
• trade and Investment
• economic Co-operation, and
• tourism.

The City of St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa, formally signed a Co-operation Agreement on 21 September 2000. In terms of this agreement the Department of Health, Western Cape, and the Public Health Committee, St. Petersburg, agreed to establish a co-operative relationship:

• To exchange experience and medical knowledge in different fields of health care,
• To provide a mutual exchange of health professional staff, and
• To collaborate in the field of health care to the mutual benefit of both parties.

Bavaria, Federal Republic of Germany, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa, have a friendly and co-operative relationship as expressed in a joint communiqué of 11 May 1995 signed by the Minister-President of Bavaria and the Premier of the Western Cape Province. This was strengthened by a Protocol signed by the two parties on 6 November 1998. Both parties agreed on the following fields of co-operation:

• agriculture
• education
• environmental, regional and rural development
• economic development
• community safety
• culture
• voluntary fire-fighting services
• social affairs
• high-tech co-operation
• co-operation between the Bayerische Verwaltungschule (Bavarian School of Administration) and the Cape Administrative Academy.

For more information on Bavaria, visit their website.

Based on the Agreement on Partnership between Upper Austria, Republic of Austria, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa of 15 May 1995, Upper Austria and the Western Cape signed a Protocol to the Co-operation Agreement on 24 February 2000. Both parties agreed to strengthen co-operation in the following fields of government:

• education,
• technology and science, economy, energy, tourism,
• environment,
• nature conservation,
• agriculture,
• culture, and
• administration.

For more information on Upper Austria, visit their website.

The Province of Burgundy, France, and the Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa, formally signed a Co-operation Agreement on 12 September 2002. In terms of this agreement both parties agreed to establish a co-operative relationship in terms of:

• initial and professional training in agriculture
• economy
• tourism