BRICS officials meet on national security

CAPE TOWN - The BRICS representatives on national security held a meeting here on Friday to discuss ways to deepen cooperation.

The meeting held at the Table Bay Hotel observed a minute of silence in honor of the late former president Nelson Mandela, joining millions of South Africans and the rest of the world in expressing condolences to the people of South Africa, the African National Congress and the Mandela family.

The representatives dealt with a number of security matters in preparation for the next summit of the leaders of BRICS in Brazil in 2014, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

Reflecting on the issues of cyber security-information security, the meeting agreed on the establishment of an expert working group that will meet in early 2014, in South Africa, to finalize concrete set of proposals for adoption by the leaders' summit.

On the prevention of terrorism, the meeting agreed to cooperate closely, working through the United Nations system as a primary forum in preventing, combating and mitigating threats pertaining thereto. Part of the collaboration agreed upon will involve sharing best practices, capacity building and sharing of information and intelligence.

Challenges pertaining to global peace and security were also reflected upon and the BRICS countries agreed to continue working collectively to ensure positive outcomes and the resolution of conflicts in such hotspots inclusive of advancing the security agenda in the African continent.

Noting the importance of transport in economic, social, political and cultural lives of all humanity, the meeting resolved to strengthen cooperation with regards to transport security including anti-piracy initiatives with regards to knowledge sharing and capacity building with states in piracy-affected areas.

South Africa expressed its gratitude to its partners and looks forward to continued, lasting and cordial working relations with its partners, the statement said.

BRICS is an acronym of emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.