Business leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) will converge in Johannesburg next week for the first meeting of the BRICS Business Council. The meeting will also be attended by prominent business leaders from nineteen other African countries. The meeting will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 19 to 20 August 2013.
The BRICS Business Council was established by the Heads of State of the BRICS countries during the BRICS Summit in Durban in March 2013, to inter alia, develop and grow business, trade, manufacturing and investment ties amongst the BRICS countries and between the BRICS countries and Africa.
According to the South African Chairman of the BRICS Business Council, Mr Patrice Motsepe, the meeting will focus on ensuring that the objectives of the BRICS Business Council as outlined in the eThekwini Declaration are fulfilled.
“The meeting will also identify specific measures and initiatives to increase trade, business, manufacturing and investment ties amongst the BRICS countries and between the BRICS countries and Africa. We will also propose measures to eliminate barriers or hurdles to growing trade and investment ties amongst the BRICS countries and between the BRICS countries and Africa” says Motsepe.
He adds that it is also important that African business leaders and entrepreneurs establish partnerships and joint ventures amongst themselves and also network and exchange ideas to ensure that they significantly benefit from the various business, trade, manufacturing and investment opportunities between the BRICS countries and Africa. To this end, sessions involving the African and BRICS business leaders will focus on promoting and increasing trade and investment ties between the BRICS countries and Africa.
At the launch of the BRICS Business Council President Jacob Zuma described the establishment of the BRICS Business Council as a key measure to further increase intra-Brics trade and investment. He also said that the BRICS Business Council would serve as a platform to strengthen and promote economic, trade, business and investment ties amongst the business communities of the five BRICS countries.
President Zuma, the Minister of Trade and Industry Dr Rob Davies, and the chairmen of the BRICS member countries are expected to address the meeting.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe, Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
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