Ignorance about political and economic progress in Africa is stopping Irish investors from exploiting "significant growth potential" on the continent, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin has warned.
Speaking in South Africa, where he is leading a five-day trade mission, Mr Martin said "investors need to educate themselves a bit more" about African markets.
"My sense of South Africa is that it represents a success story, coming from where it came. There is a structure here and a constitutional framework that gives one confidence for the future."
Stressing that Ireland needed to be "wherever there are export opportunities", Mr Martin said that South Africa had generally been "overlooked" by Irish companies.
He noted that the country's hosting of the Fifa World Cup in 2010 presented "very good opportunities" and warned against misrepresentations of the local economic climate.
"There is a lot of ambition here. One gets a sense of strategic organisation," he said, adding that he was also impressed by the "strong thread of pragmatism" in the political establishment.
"You don't get a sense that people are stuck in ideological strait-jackets here."
By any standards, he said, the country's transition from apartheid to democracy was "a very dramatic achievement, and that would give you confidence".
South Africa's economy has grown at close to 5 per cent for the past six years, but its credit rating has been damaged recently by concerns about crime and HIV/Aids as well as uncertainty surrounding the country's presidential succession race.
Mr Martin said that local skills shortages could provide opportunities for Irish training and education institutions. There was also "significant potential" in utilities, financial services and other sectors.
An added dimension was the possibility of "synergies" with development work, he said.
"It can be a win-win for everybody. For business to come out here and contribute solutions - that can only add to the impact of aid."
The White Paper on Irish Aid, published by the Government this week, noted "the importance of the private sector in the fight against poverty" in Africa.
"Local businesses in developing countries can benefit from contact with appropriate business partners, who can offer expertise, investment and support," the policy document stated.
One company that is already benefiting from South Africa's economic growth, is Louth-based Moffett Engineering, which started selling its machinery into the country in 1994. Today, its South African representative, Shamrock Handling Concepts (SHC), will hand over the keys of its 200th Moffett forklift vehicle to a local customer.
SHC managing director Marius Schutte said he had problems initially establishing the concept. "The resistance to change in this country is quite high," he remarked. "People think that something which works in Europe will not necessarily work in Africa."
SHC has since conquered the doubters, however, and now sells vehicles from Moffett and its Monaghan-based sister companies, Combilift, to six African states.
Mr Martin, who will oversee today's handover, is due to attend a reception in Pretoria later today hosted by the Republic's newly-appointed ambassador to South Africa, Colin Wrafter.
Tomorrow, the Minister is due to travel to Cape Town.
