President Jacob Zuma leads SA delegation to the Fourth BRICS Summit, New Dehli, India
28 March 2012
President Jacob Zuma has arrived in New Delhi, India, where he is leading a South African delegation to the Fourth BRICS Summit.
The 4th BRICS Summit takes place on 28-29 March 2012 and will be the second time that South Africa attends, after its admission to the bloc. South Africa’s debut was at the BRICS Summit held in Sanya, Hainan Island, China, in 2011.
The Summit will focus on global governance as well as sustainable development matters. These include issues relating to the global economy, global peace and security as well as climate change. South Africa will take advantage of the BRICS Summit to advance the African Agenda, to seek support from BRICS partners for the NEPAD infrastructure development and industrialisation initiatives and advocate for reform of global governance institutions.
Figures released in September 2011 by the World Bank and the IMF World Economic Outlook indicate that BRICS countries have a combined population of 2,945.4 billion people. Latest figures also indicate that South Africa’s trade with BRICS countries has increased, particularly from the period 2005 to 2010. Exports increased from 16,6bn in 2005 to 94,7bn in 2010 while BRIC-Africa trade is projected to increase threefold from US$150bn in 2010 to US$350bn in 2015. BRIC Foreign Direct Investment is projected to increase from US$60bn in 2009 to more than US$150bn by 2015.
President Zuma is accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, Minister of Economic Development, Mr Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Communications, Ms Dina Pule and Minister of Finance, Mr Pravin Gordhan as well as a South African business delegation.
