South Africa is hosting and chairing the 9th session of the meeting of Brics Deputy Ministers and Special Envoys responsible for the Middle East and North Africa this week.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said in a statement that the gathering formed part of a series of activities leading up to the Brics Annual Heads of State Summit, to be held in Gauteng in August.
The department said the leaders would discuss, among other issues, the Middle East peace process as well as developments in the Gulf States, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Western Sahara and Yemen.
The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) are regions that have had rich civilisations, cultures and traditions since ancient times, contributing positively to advancements in science, arts, culture and politics. The region is home to more than 500 million people who live in heterogeneous countries in terms of territorial size and levels of development.
“The region is now at a critical juncture in its history as its people struggle to contain and resolve persistent conflict and address the challenges of terrorism and extremism,” DIRCO said. The session takes place from 24 to 26 April in Cape Town.
– SAnews.gov.za
