President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit of emerging economies.
Putin hailed trade and economic relations between the two nations, adding that they can collaborate in areas including energy, agriculture, industry and science.
“Trade and economic relations between Russia and South Africa are generally at a good level. After a slight decline, trade turnover has begun to grow again, with growth amounting to three percent in January-August of this year,” Putin said.
”Of course, there is something we can work on together in terms of increasing and diversifying mutual trade and investment. Promising areas of cooperation include energy, industry, agriculture, science and innovation,” he added.
“We are grateful for your decision to take part in the BRICS Summit. Tonight, we will attend the opening ceremony together.
“This year, Russia assumed the BRICS chairmanship, taking over from South Africa, and we have built our work taking into account the results achieved at the Johannesburg summit. Our focus has been on the seamless integration of new participants into the multi-level architecture of BRICS. In close contact with our South African friends, we have worked on coordinating the modalities for establishing the partner state status.
“The relevant agencies of our countries collaborated in the financial sector to expand the use of national currencies in mutual settlements and to create an independent payment system.
“Our bilateral relations are based on the principles of a comprehensive strategic partnership, equality, and mutual respect. Our political dialogue is progressing, and our foreign policy departments and security councils are actively communicating. Interparliamentary cooperation has been established.
“Trade and economic ties between Russia and the Republic of South Africa are generally positive. Following a brief dip, mutual trade volumes have started to increase, rising by three percent in January-August 2024. Of course, we need to work jointly on some aspects in order to expand and diversify mutual trade and investment. Promising spheres of cooperation include energy, industry, agriculture, science and innovation.
“Russia and the Republic of South Africa closely coordinate their efforts on the international stage to establish a fair multipolar world order.
“Russia attaches special significance to strengthening relations with African countries. Collaborative work is underway to implement joint agreements approved at the Russia-Africa Summit in St Petersburg, notably a declaration and an action plan until 2026.
“We look forward to hosting the head of your foreign policy agency in Sochi for the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, scheduled for November 9–10.
Responding, President Ramaphosa said, “it’s a real joy and a pleasure to be here in Kazan, in Russia.
“And we’d like to congratulate you for hosting and being the president of BRICS, having taken over from us. As South Africa, we are sure that you will be able to chair our meeting and our summit so that BRICS, as the enlarged BRICS body, will continue growing from strength to strength.
“We also do look forward, of course, to this evening where we have been invited, and also to the summit itself, to participate with all other countries under your leadership to deal with matters that are of such great importance in geopolitical terms and everything that is happening around the world, but also on matters that have to do with trade, with climate change, with peace and security as well. So, we are delighted indeed to be here.
“We’re also delighted to be here to brief you and others on the journey that we have embarked upon as South Africa. We’ve formed a government of national unity following our elections in May of this year. So we will have time, as I briefed you on the telephone, but we will have time to talk more about that and inform you how that whole process of governing South Africa with a number of other parties is evolving as we have sought to unite the country, to stabilise the country politically. And we’re rather pleased that with your support in every respect we’ve been able to reach this point in the history of our country.
“So, we continue to see Russia as a valued ally, as a valued friend, who supported us right from the beginning, from the days of our struggle against apartheid right through to now. So, we’re really delighted to be here and to know that we are going to have important discussions here in Kazan within the BRICS family. So, thank you very much for welcoming us. Thank you.”
Meanwhile, more than 20 leaders will attend the summit, defying expectations that the war in Ukraine, Western sanctions, and an arrest warrant would isolate Vladimir Putin on the world stage. It will last until October 24th.
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