SA ready to host BRICS Summit  

It’s all systems go for the 15th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit, which will be held in Johannesburg later this month.

Taking place from 22 to 24 August, government has indicated that it has concluded the BRICS outreach programmes for various sectors and communities.

“Cabinet was apprised that it is all systems go in terms of South Africa’s readiness to host the 15th BRICS Summit. The last of the BRICS Ministerial Meetings – the BRICS Ministers of Agriculture Meeting – is currently underway, while the Ministerial Meetings of Foreign Affairs, Security, Trade, Industry, Education, Science, Labour, Communications, Health, and Urbanisation Forum have concluded their reports for the Leaders’ Summit.

“These engagements provided governments, organisations, experts and academics from the BRICS nations an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest that will enable informed decision-making during the BRICS Summit,” Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said on Thursday.

She was addressing a media briefing in Pretoria on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday.

Russia-Africa Summit

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Russian President Vladimir Putin recently held a bilateral meeting and discussed opportunities to increase trade between the two countries, and for the Russian Federation to increase investments in South Africa.

This meeting took place during the Second Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, on 27 and 28 July 2023. Ramaphosa was amongst other African leaders who attended the summit.

“This summit adopted the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan, which focuses on strengthening cooperation in areas of politics and security, economics, humanitarian matters, and interests of mutual benefit and prosperity.

“On the sidelines of the summit, African Heads of State and Government, who are part of the African Peace Initiative on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, held follow-up talks with President Putin on the previously discussed confidence-building measures that will create conditions for a negotiated settlement to ending the war,” Ntshavheni said.

Security in Niger

Cabinet also has noted the impact the security situation in Niger is having on air travel between South Africa/Southern Africa and Western Europe, with negative implications for business and individuals alike and the airline industry, which is just starting to recover from the devastating ravages of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Cabinet reiterated government’s condemnation of the coup in Niger and the call for the speedy restoration of a democratic order, and also noted the initiative to restore normality under the Economic Community of West African States,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za