Russian emergencies minister meets Chinese, S. African counterparts within BRICS framework

DURBAN, South Africa. Sept 8 (Interfax) - Russian Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov met with the chiefs of the Chinese and South African emergency agencies on the sidelines of a BRICS event on Friday, an Interfax correspondent reported from the scene.

Chinese Emergency Management Minister Wang Xiangxi expressed an interest in arranging a new meeting in Russia while speaking to Kurenkov. "I do hope that I will be able to visit Russia and meet you again soon," Wang said.

China could always count on a mutual and open dialogue with Russia, Kurenkov said.

Wang expressed the hope that cooperation between the two agencies would strengthen energetically.

"We expect that our interaction in preempting natural disasters will strengthen," Wang said.

Later in the day, Kurenkov met with South African Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thembisile Nkadimeng on the sidelines of the BRICS event, where the Russian minister invited a South African delegation to take part in the Integrated Safety and Security Exhibition 2024.

"I'll be happy to see you and a South African delegation at the Integrated Safety and Security Exhibition which will take place in Moscow in May 2024," he said.

While meeting with Nkadimeng in a bilateral format, Kurenkov praised the South African disaster management agency's work.

"I'd like to note that training firefighters and monitoring and responding to emergencies are organized in South Africa at an advanced level. We will review your record with keen interest," he said.

Kurenkov is leading a Russian Emergency Situations Ministry delegation on a working visit to Durban, South Africa, on September 7-8.