OREANDA-NEWS. July 13, 2010. General Director – Chairman of the Management Board of MMC Norilsk Nickel ("MMC Norilsk Nickel" or "the Company") Vladimir Strzhalkovsky is currently on the business trip to South Africa to visit the Company’s African assets and to meet with senior state officials of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) and the Republic of Botswana, reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.

During the trip Vladimir Strzhalkovsky met with President of RSA Jacob Zuma, the management of Nkomati in RSA, as well as with the South African Minister of Economic Development  Ebrahim Patel.

It was particularly noted during the meetings that the Nkomati Nickel Mine project, a joint venture of MMC Norilsk Nickel and its South African partner African Rainbow Minerals, would be further developed, thus helping strengthening economic relations between the two countries.

The General Director expressed his high opinion on the Nkomati project potential and underlined that the enterprise would create additional jobs for local population. He also stated that MMC Norilsk Nickel with its experience in this field was ready to consider possibilities of the Company’s participation in new joint projects related to the extraction and processing of nickel, copper and PMG ores in the South African territory.

At the end of this week Vladimir Strazhalkovsky will visit the Company’s assets in Botswana and will also meet with the Vice President of the Republic of Botswana Lieutenant General Mompati Sebogodi Merafhe.

At the meeting, the General Director of MMC Norilsk Nickel will present the Company’s enterprise in Botswana, Tati Nickel, and share the plans regarding its further development. It is also planned to discuss the possibility of opening the Company’s representative office in Gaborone to increase the Company’s presence in Botswana market and further strengthen the coordination of actions with the state authorities and business community. Social projects of MMC Norilsk Nickel in Botswana will also be discussed.