The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Friendship Cities and Local Government Cooperation Urbanization Forum is scheduled to be held in the East London city of South Africa from 28th June to the 1st of July 2018.
The BRICS Sectoral meetings are part of the build-up activities towards the 10th BRICS Summit that will be hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July.
The BRICS Friendship Cities and Local Government Cooperation Urbanisation Forum promotes engagement between BRICS states through cities and local bodies. It promotes people to people cooperation amongst BRICS nations and collaboration at the local government level.
“This Forum is a platform to strengthen collaboration between BRICS member states and to enable information-sharing in the local government sector for current and future collaboration. The Forum provides platform for connecting BRICS states, cities and local bodies for learning from one another by conversation and cooperation, through linked thematic areas,’’ said the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, (COGTA), Dr Zweli Mkhize, who will host the BRICS Ministers responsible for local government and disaster management as well as mayors and other local government practitioners under the auspices of the Forum.
The gathering will assist South Africa to meet several socio-economic development goals. The Forum provides platform to address issues such as managing urban development for inclusive growth. It also provides an opportunity to engage BRICS counterparts on reversing apartheid spatial planning through sharing experiences with BRICS countries.
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“As part of the developing world, South Africa faces the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality. BRICS Leaders engage in peer learning and share best practices and development models to address and combat these common challenges. Four of the five BRICS countries are already among the 10 largest economies in the world. South Africa’s prospects for economic growth and job creation depend increasingly on diversifying and strengthening its economic links with the fastest-growing economies of the world”, said Minister Mkhize.
The Forum will also promote economic social and economic linkages with BRICS partners in infrastructure development which is key for service delivery in municipalities in South Africa.