BRICS urged to support African infrastructure development
29 March 2012
cntv - March 27, 2012
JOHANNESBURG, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A South African government agency on Tuesday called for the BRICS group to participate in the African infrastructure development program, financing and potentially even technology sharing opportunities.
The BRICS countries must not only focus on South Africa, its only formal member in Africa, Miller Matola, CEO of Brand South Africa, said In an interview with Xinhua in Johannesburg.
Brand South Africa is a government agency set in August 2002 by the Presidency to promote the development between South Africa and the African region as well as international community.
The BRICS consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are among the emerging economic entities in the world. "South Africa does not participate as a member of the BRICS group just in our own interests, but as an integral part of the African continent, and this is important because Africa countries holds so much potential for the BRICS," Matola told Xinhua.
On Wednesday, the BRICS group will open the 2012 annual summit in India, under the theme "BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Security and Prosperity."
"We would urge them to look at the African continent as more than just a source for natural resources, but also as a destination for industrialization, and as an exciting consumer market," Matola said exclusively to Xinhua.
The agency predicted that by June 2014, nearly 60 percent of the African economy will be a single free trade area covering Southern, Eastern and Central Africa, and this will enable an easier and more efficient flow of goods, people and investments.
Category: General