EAM Sushma Swaraj to attend BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in South Africa today
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has reached South Africa for her five-day visit to South Africa.
Upon her arrival at Johannesburg, she was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Luwellyn Landers.
On her way to South Africa, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday made a transit halt in Mauritius where she met the Prime Minister of the island nation, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said enhancing the ties between India and Mauritius was the focus of the meeting.
“Connecting with our maritime neighbour! EAM @SushmaSwaraj called on the Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. Enhancing our bilateral relationship was the focus of the meeting,” Kumar wrote on Twitter.
Swaraj also met her Mauritian counterpart Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo. “On her way to South Africa during transit halt in Mauritius, EAM @SushmaSwaraj was warmly received by Foreign Minister of Mauritius, Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo,” Kumar tweeted.
Swaraj will begin her five-day trip to South Africa on Sunday where she will meet the top leadership of the country and attend meetings of BRICS and IBSA — the two major groupings where India has been playing a key role.
The Minister will also attend a series of events marking the 125th anniversary of the historic incident where a young Mahatma Gandhi was pushed out of a train compartment in Pietermaritzburg railway station, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The 1893 incident proved to be a turning point in Gandhi’s fight against racial discrimination in South Africa.
During her visit to the African nation, Swaraj will participate in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Foreign Ministers’ meeting on June 4 which is expected to lay the foundation for the annual summit of the grouping in Johannesburg next month. She will also chair a meeting of Foreign Ministers of IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa), another bloc working to deepen coordination among the three countries on major global issues.
“The External Affairs Minister will participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting on June 4, 2018 and chair the IBSA Foreign Ministers Meeting,” the MEA said.
On June 6, Swaraj will visit the Phoenix settlement where Mahatma Gandhi had developed his philosophy of non-violence, the MEA said. “She would also participate in a series of events on June 6-7, 2018 at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the historic incident in the train compartment that became a catalyst for Gandhiji’s Satyagraha movement,” the MEA said.
It said the two-day commemoration activities will also include release of joint commemorative stamps on Oliver Tambo and Deen Dayal Upadhayaa and a Youth Summit where 20 diaspora youth from Africa and five from India will speak on the relevance of Gandhiji’s message of peace to the youth of today.
Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid activist and revolutionary leader. “The year 2018 is an important year for India-South Africa relations as it marks the 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the 125th anniversary of the Pietermaritzburg railway station incident and the 100th birth centenary of South African iconic leader, Nelson Mandela,” the MEA said.
It said India and South Africa enjoy close and friendly relations which are rooted in history and the values of south-south cooperation. “The visit of External Affairs Minister will further strengthen our close and long standing ties with South Africa,” the MEA said.
