BRICS 2023: Ramaphosa, Xi to meet on summit sidelines
President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping will hold a dialogue on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.
This was confirmed by China’s Ambassador in South Africa, Chen Xiaodong, who briefed media at the Chinese Embassy in Tshwane on Friday.
BRICS countries (namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) account for more than 40% of the global population and about 26% of the global economy.
The bloc represents the world’s fastest-growing economies, with South Africa the smallest.
Xi is scheduled in South Africa next Monday, on what will also be his fourth state visit to the country.
His last visit was in 2018.
“At the invitation of President Ramaphosa, President Xi Jinping will attend the 15th annual summit held in Johannesburg and pay a state visit to South Africa.
“During the visit, President Xi Jinping and President Ramaphosa will co-host a China-Africa dialogue,” Chen said.
READ: Xi to pay state visit to South Africa, attend BRICS summit next week
He added that, during Xi’s state visit, the two countries would continue efforts to support South Africa’s economic recovery plan.
“The focus will be energy infrastructure, trade, and investment. Documents will be signed in economy and trade, electricity, science, and technology. This will be all great cooperation results that will give a boost to South Africa’s growth, employment and bring benefit our two people.”
The two sides have agreed to invite the President of Senegal Maki Sall and the President of the Comoros Azali Assoumani, who is also the current chair of the African Union, to the dialogue.
READ MORE: Nations lining up to join BRICS bloc, says SA
The leaders of countries representing the continent’s eight regional economic communities will also be invited.
“In order to advance China-Africa cooperation in the new era, to the benefit of all people of China and Africa, President Xi Jinping and President Ramaphosa proposed to hold an Africa leaders dialogue on the sidelines of BRICS Summit.”
He said the dialogue would focus on promoting African integration and building a high-level China community with a shared future.
The dialogue is scheduled to take place on the afternoon of 24 August. Thereafter, the two presidents will release a joint statement on the outcomes.
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