Security concerns and global economic issues will top the agenda at the fifth IBSA summit in Pretoria on Tuesday. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who arrived here Monday evening, will raise India’s concerns on these matters, as well as piracy. The leaders of India, Brazil and South Africa will issue a joint declaration.
The summit will also focus on coordination at the UN Security Council, climate change and economic cooperation.
Trade relations between IBSA countries is expected to dominate the summit. Bilateral trade between India and South Africa has trebled from $2.5 billion in 2008 to $7.5 billion now. There is a plan to raise this to $10 billion by next year.
An MoU among the diplomatic academies of IBSA countries has been finalised and is expected to be signed at the summit.
An official said IBSA cooperation is expected to cover three broad fronts: reform of the UN and its Security Council; WTO negotiations; and civil nuclear cooperation, climate change, sustainable development and terrorism. These countries will also take up various development projects.