Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will have a bilateral meeting on the second day of the 15th BRICS Summit on Wednesday. PM Modi will attend open and closed plenary sessions in Johannesburg later in the day.
Following the plenaries, President Ramaphosa will host a banquet dinner and a cultural performance. The 15th BRICS Summit’s opening day in Johannesburg saw the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue. In his speech to the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue, PM Modi predicted that India’s economy will soon reach $5 trillion and serve as the world’s primary driver of growth in the years to come.
PM Modi’s special message to the dialogue was that mutual trust and transparency can help create a big impact, especially in the Global South.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa said as the country has an urbanised population and can provide a stable workforce in future, BRICS countries have an opportunity to contribute to and participate in Africa’s growth story.
“Africa has a young digitally connecting and urbanizing population. A population that provides a stable workforce for companies in future. The investment in skills… continues to grow,” President Ramaphosa said.
Soon after the Business Forum, PM Modi traveled to Johannesburg’s Summer Place to take part in the BRICS Leaders Retreat, where the group’s leaders will discuss recent global events and consider how best to use the BRICS platform to address and address current global challenges. The event was attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. PM Modi was formally welcomed at Waterkloof Air Force Base after arriving in South Africa earlier on Tuesday.