The second day of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, saw the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa engaging in bilateral and multilateral talks on various issues of common interest. The summit, which is themed “BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the 4th Industrial Revolution”, aims to strengthen cooperation among the five emerging economies and explore new opportunities for partnership with other countries.
One of the major highlights of the first day was the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, where they discussed taking China-Africa cooperation to the next level. They discuss how to enhance trade and investment ties, as well as cooperation in areas such as renewable energy, digital technology, health, and education. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues climate change and multilateralism.
Another notable event was the meeting between Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is also the chairperson of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan and South Sudan. The two leaders discussed the political and humanitarian situation in the two countries and the role of BRICS in supporting peace and development in Africa.
The day also featured several sessions on topics such as trade facilitation, innovation, infrastructure development, health, and education. The leaders are expected to adopt a joint declaration at the end of the summit, which will reflect their shared vision and priorities for the future of BRICS cooperation.