The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies has, according to a report from the Department of Trade and Industry in South Africa, arrived in the Republic of China to attend the BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting and Trade Ministers Meeting. The two meetings will be preceded by official’s meetings from the BRICS countries.
The meetings, according to the release, will discuss areas in which BRICS countries can enhance cooperation on issues related to trade and investment. The key areas of focus will be trade and investment facilitation, trade in services, intellectual property rights, economic and technical cooperation and the multilateral trading system.
Last year, the Ministers Meeting in India evaluated progress in the implementation of the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership. It also emphasized the need for strengthening the BRICS economic partnership and operationalization of the Strategy to ensure greater participation, value addition and upward mobility in Global Value Chains of BRICS firms including through the preservation of policy space to promote industrial development.
“The BRICS platform provides an opportunity to promote the implementation of a practical trade and investment agenda among BRICS countries. In addition, the issues to be discussed in the BRICS trade ministers are critical in driving an inclusive trade and investment agenda. South Africa will chair BRICS in 2018,” says Minister Davies.
Meanwhile, it is equally reported that the Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia Mr. Yusuf-Garaad Omar will pay his first official visit to India from 31 July – 04 August 2017 at the invitation of the External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj. This is contained in a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs – Government of India.
During the upcoming visit, as reported, the two sides will discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. The Agreement for Transfer of Sentenced Persons will also be signed between India and Somalia during the visit. In the second leg of the visit, Somali Foreign Minister will travel to Mumbai on 02 August 2017 and Hyderabad on 03 August 2017.
Correspondent: Ridwan A Olayiwola
