OREANDA-NEWS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the development of bilateral cooperation at international sites and in Africa on the sidelines of the meeting of the BRICS foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro with his South African counterpart Naledi Pandor. This is stated in the message on Friday of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

"A substantive discussion took place of the prospects for the Russian-South African strategic partnership with an emphasis on expanding trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation", the ministry said".

In addition, as stressed by the Russian Foreign Ministry, in connection with the upcoming Russia-Africa summit in Sochi in October, "special attention was paid to cooperation with the states of the region in the political, trade and economic fields and in the security sphere". "The subject of promoting integration processes in Africa has been touched upon. The principle of" African problems - an African solution "has been stressed without any alternative, with wide support from the international community, the agency added.

Traditionally, at the ministerial meeting, which opened the ceremony of photographing, all the representatives of the "five" will speak. The meeting will be summed up by its chairman, Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernest Araujo. After that, Lavrov will hold separate talks with his Brazilian counterpart. As noted in the Russian ministry, the upcoming meeting will provide a good opportunity for foreign ministers to continue exchanging views on topical issues of the regional and global agenda.

The next meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the BRICS countries of the union will be held on the sidelines of the session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 26 and will be organized by Russia as the next chairman of the union.