Zuma jets off for BRICS

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has left for China where he will attend the Brics summit for the first time as a full member of the grouping of most influential developing nations.

This is South Africa's first Brics summit, where Zuma will sit down with the leaders from Brazil, Russia, India and China for a two-day meeting in Sanya, a resort in China's southern island province of Hainan.

The summit will be held under the theme Broad Vision, Shared Prosperity.

During the summit, the Brics member states will, amongst others, focus on international issues of mutual interest; international economic and financial issues; development issues, which will include discussions around climate change and sustainable development; and the programme of cooperation among member states.

South Africa will also participate in the Brics Business Forum and the Brics Banking Cooperation Mechanism on the sidelines of the summit. 

"President Zuma will use the third summit also as an opportunity to convey appreciation for the country's invitation to become a full member state of Brics and to articulate the strategic importance South Africa attaches to this partnership, as well as to ensure synergy of the 
Brics mechanism agenda, with the development and economic priorities of Africa - such as infrastructure development, minerals beneficiation and value-addition, and agro-processing," the International Relations and Cooperation Department said on Tuesday. 

South Africa's participation in the third Brics Summit comes within the context of a significant rise by emerging market economies, which have created a diplomatic initiative to serve as a platform for dialogue and cooperation. 

The purpose is also to advance the restructuring of global governance institutions, notably the global economic and financial architecture into one that is more equitable, balanced and rests on the pillar of multilateralism, explained the department.

Zuma will be accompanied by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel and Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies. - BuaNews