Sushma Swaraj in South Africa: External affairs minister pitches for enriching intra-BRICS co-operation

Johannesburg: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday expressed India’s willingness to contribute towards enriching intra-BRICS co-operation further. Swaraj, who is on a five-day trip to South Africa, was attending a Foreign Ministers’ meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). The summit is expected to lay the foundation for the annual summit of the grouping in Johannesburg next month.

All-dimensional and multi-layered cooperation that upholds development and multilateralism! EAM @SushmaSwaraj with other BRICS Ministers for the group photo before Ministerial Conference. pic.twitter.com/ma8yd4ftwK

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) June 4, 2018

“Our deliberations here will contribute towards enriching intra-BRICS co-operation further,” Swaraj was quoted as saying at the opening of the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ summit by Ruchira Kamboj, High Commissioner for India to South Africa and Lesotho. “All-dimensional and multi-layered co-operation that upholds development and multilateralism! Swaraj with other BRICS Ministers for the group photo before Ministerial Conference,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted along with a picture of Swaraj with other foreign ministers of the BRICS nations. Swaraj will also chair a meeting of Foreign Ministers of IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa), another bloc working to deepen co-ordination among the three countries on major global issues. Swaraj earlier discussed with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa enhanced engagement between the two countries and greater co-operation in areas of skill development, agriculture and information technology.