Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has met South African President Thabo Mbeki in Pretoria on the second day of his visit to the country.
Mr Mbeki might be due to leave office but he is still an influential figure in Southern Africa.
Mr Ahern's discussions with the president included the crisis in Zimbabwe as well as issues central to relations between Ireland and South Africa.
Earlier, the Taoiseach attended a Tourism Ireland breakfast in Johannesburg.
The organisation is launching an initiative aimed at attracting more South African tourists.
It hopes to encourage those who have already planned holidays in the UK to extend their trips to include Ireland.
The Taoiseach will also attend functions hosted by Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia who are hoping to capitalise on the recent re-opening of the South African market to Irish beef products.
Before heading to Tanzania, Mr Ahern will visit a hospice run by Belfast priest Fr Kieran Creagh who was badly injured in a shooting last year.
His institution is modelled on the Dublin hospice in Harolds Cross and has been supported by the Irish Government.
