Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's statement on the eve of his departure for South Africa

I will leave tomorrow on a visit to South Africa to attend the 5th IBSA Summit being hosted by President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria on 18 October 2011.

The Summit is expected to focus, among other things, on coordination among IBSA countries in United Nations Security Council, sustainable development, the forthcoming meetings of the Conference of Parties under the UNFCCC and the Conference of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol being hosted by South Africa later this year, the Rio+20 Conference being hosted by Brazil in 2012 and other matters related to deepening of cooperation under IBSA.

The IBSA Dialogue Forum has matured considerably over the years. There is greater cooperation across a wider canvas. Above all, the idea of three large developing democracies, Brazil, India and South Africa working together in a highly complex global environment has taken root, and has received universal welcome by our peoples.

It is a happy coincidence that during 2011 India, Brazil and South Africa are members of the United Nations Security Council. We have shown significant cohesiveness and coordination in our approach to issues under discussion in the Security Council.

I also look forward to an exchange of views with our IBSA partners on the current global economic and financial situation especially in the context of the forthcoming G 20 Summit in France.

We expect to issue an IBSA Joint Declaration at the Summit.

During my stay in Pretoria, I look forward to holding bilateral meetings with President Jacob Zuma and President Dilma Rousseff to exchange views on global, regional and bilateral issues of mutual interest.