Russia, India, China, South Africa agree on emergency cooperation
ST. PETERSBURG. April 20 (Interfax) - The emergency ministers of Russia, India, China and South Africa signed a declaration of cooperation in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) format, and a three-year joint action plan, in St. Petersburg on Wednesday.
The document will also be sent to Brazil for signature, an Interfax correspondent said.
It was also agreed in St. Petersburg that BRICS emergency chiefs will meet each year.
"There has been a proposal to hold such events annually," Russian Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov said before the signing of the document.
Under the joint action plan, the ministries set up direct relations until July 2016, and will have their specialists attend relevant exhibitions and conferences in the BRICS countries, and search and rescue teams or monitors take part in emergency and disaster-response drills in the BRICS countries.
The joint plan also involves setting up prompt information-sharing on emergencies until 2017, and the sharing of experience in natural and man-made disaster response efforts and training specialists in the field of disaster prevention and response.
