BRICS Plus highlighted as key to cooperation

South Africa invited the leaders of nine African countries — Rwanda, Senegal, Gabon, Uganda, Ethiopia, Togo, Burundi, Namibia and Angola — to attend the Johannesburg summit as a part of its BRICS Africa Outreach Dialogue.

The outreach dialogue showcases maximum synergy between South Africa's chairmanship of BRICS this year and that of China in 2017 to ensure BRICS support for African industrialization and infrastructure development, South African Ambassador to China Dolana Msimang said in a written interview response.

China's relations with the African continent will be taken to a new level of cooperation through the BRICS Africa outreach agenda, analysts said.

Africa must be part of the emerging markets' growth story and, ultimately, their development agendas, Sola David Borha, chief executive for Africa regions of Standard Bank Group, said in an article published on Thursday in the Zambia Daily Mail.

Africa-China trade is undisputedly the most important external economic dynamic for the African continent, and one that will only be enhanced through further Chinese investment and a deepening connection, Borha added.

BRICS leaders acknowledge the importance of infrastructure development and connectivity in Africa, according to the Johannesburg Declaration adopted by the 10th BRICS Summit on Thursday.