External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will pay a three-day visit to South Africa beginning Thursday to participate in a conclave of five-nation grouping BRICS in Capetown.
From South Africa, he will travel to Namibia for a visit from June 4 to 6, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
”The external affairs minister will visit South Africa from June 1 to 3 to participate in the BRICS foreign ministers meeting being held in Capetown,” the MEA said in a statement. The BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade Besides attending the BRICS meeting in Capetown, Jaishankar will also hold a bilateral meeting with his South African counterpart Naledi Pandor. He will call on the President of South Africa and is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other BRICS foreign ministers and participate in ‘Friends of BRICS’. Jaishankar will also have an interaction with the Indian diaspora in Capetown, the MEA said.
His visit to Namibia will be the first by an external affairs minister of India to the African nation. ”During the visit the external affairs minister will call on the top leadership of the country and also meet with other ministers of the government,” the MEA said. It said Jaishankar will also co-chair the inaugural session of the joint commission meeting with the Namibian deputy prime minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. He will also interact with the Indian diaspora based in Namibia.
”The external affairs minister’s visit to South Africa and Namibia is expected to further strengthen India’s strong bilateral relations with these two countries,” the MEA said.
