Cape Times

Meet the engine of BRICS Business Council

- Luyolo Mkentane

THE SOUTH African chapter of the BRICS Business Council is currently engaged in talks with its counterpar­ts from the rest of the economic bloc to find common ground on forest certificat­ion.

South Africa’s Slauzy Mogami yesterday said they were working to ensure that the BRICS agricultur­e working committee had consensus before the council’s meeting next month.

Mogami said the local unit had already met Russian and Chinese counterpar­ts in the past few weeks to reach common ground on pertinent issues

‘We want to play a significan­t role in food security in the BRICS countries.’

such as a market mechanism to promote the sustainabl­e use and management of forests.

“We plan to have weekly meetings with our counterpar­ts until we hold the council meeting.

“one of the themes for our chairperso­nship is food security,” said Mogami.

“We want to play a significan­t role in food security in the BRICS countries, and hopefully in the rest of the world.”

Mogami was briefing the BRICS Business Council chairperso­n, Dr Iqbal Survé, and Working Group chairperso­ns on progress ahead of the Durban meeting.

Sekunjalo Investment­s executive chairperso­n, Dr Iqbal Survé, who chairs the chapter, said South Africa was ready to host the meeting.

Survé said the group had already engaged various stakeholde­rs.

Survé said the council’s working groups were the engine of the BRICS Business Council.

“You have done incredible work to date. I’m extremely proud of you and your efforts and how well you have done what you have done. There have been challenges, but you have taken to the task at hand like true champions,” he said.

Businesspe­rson Sherrie Donaldson, who serves in the Secretaria­t of the Skills Developmen­t and Manufactur­ing working groups, said the skills challenge remained an issue in South Africa.

“We want to focus on skills for today and tomorrow and to put much emphasis on re-industrial­isation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” she said.

 ?? PHOTO: ITUMELENG ENGLISH/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) ?? From left: Mandla Mkhwanazi, Javed Malik, Slauzy Mogami, Dr Iqbal Survé, Lizeka Matshekga, Mvuleni Qhena, Irvindra Naidoo and George Sebulela, pose for a photograph after meeting in Sandton, Gauteng.
PHOTO: ITUMELENG ENGLISH/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) From left: Mandla Mkhwanazi, Javed Malik, Slauzy Mogami, Dr Iqbal Survé, Lizeka Matshekga, Mvuleni Qhena, Irvindra Naidoo and George Sebulela, pose for a photograph after meeting in Sandton, Gauteng.

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