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![Russian President Vladimir Putin with his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma in on August 28, 2014 [PPIO]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/41d4ffc693bd43e11c1f1.jpeg)
Russian President Vladimir Putin with his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma in Novo Ogaryovo on August 28, 2014 [PPIO]
Putin met his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma in Novo-Ogaryovo on the outskirts of Moscow city on Thursday.
“BRICS has opened up a bigger place for our relations, and they are very meaningful on a number of issues,” Zuma said.
The two leaders had met last month during the 6th BRICS Summit in Brazil where the group of five leading emerging economies scored with the announcement of a new development Bank and a $100 billion currency reserve arrangement.
Russia takes over the leadership of BRICS from Brazil next year.
Official figures show trade between South Africa and Russia grew by 13 per cent in 2013 while Russian investment to South Africa now stands at over a billion US dollars a year.
Trade and investment topped the agenda of talks on Thursday, official sources said.
Russia has offered to assist South Africa in building its nuclear energy capacity as the country grapples with its power supply. Putin had said earlier Russian helicopters operating in Africa will be serviced in South Africa.
Zuma also asked for Russian assistance to African peace and security missions in the continent.
“The security situation of the African continent was also discussed and assistance sought on peaceful missions that South Africa is involved in, including request for support of the African Capacity to Respond to Immediate Crisis (ACIRIC) process,” said a statement from the South African Presidency.
The two leaders also discussed the Ukraine crisis and the Israeli-Palestine conflict.
TBP
