NEWS IN ENGLISH – Dilma arrives in India for BRICS summit and a very busy week of activities

27/03/2012 11:03

Renata Giraldi      Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – President Dilma Rousseff arrived in Índia today, March 27, for the 4th BRICS summit (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).

Attending the summit, besides Dilma, are presidents Dmitri Medvedev of Russia, Hu Jintao of China and Jacob Zuma of South Africa, along with the host, Manmohan Singh, the prime minister of India.

Tomorrow, Dilma Rousseff will receive an honorary degree from the University of New Delhi and attend two dinners.

Five ministers of state are traveling with the president: Antonio Patriota, Foreign Relations (“Relações Exteriores”); Aloizio Mercadante, Education (Educação); Marco Antonio Raupp, Science, Technology and Innovation (Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação); Fernando Pimentel, Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (Desenvolvimento, Indústria e Comércio Exterior) and Helena Chagas, head of the Secretariat of Communication (Comunicação Social). The governor of Sergipe, Marcelo Déda, and 110 business leaders are also in India with president Dilma Rousseff.

The main meetings at the BRICS summit will begin on Wednesday, March 28. On the agenda are talks on the creation of a BRICS development bank as part of one of the main aims of the five nations: increased trade, growth and development through bilateral agreements and the use of local currencies.

International affairs are also on the agenda: peace and security around the world, with emphasis on Syria and Afghanistan.

Dilma is scheduled to return to Brazil on Saturday,  March 31.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Dilma chega à Índia para uma semana de atividades intensas