On June 4, a meeting between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Lindiwe Sisulu was held on the sidelines of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting.

The Russian side praised the progress of preparations for the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on July 25-27, 2018 and the priorities of the South African Chairmanship of BRICS. It was reaffirmed that Russia and South Africa both wish to continue coordinating positions in other multilateral formats, primarily in the UN and the G20.

The ministers exchanged views on current issues on the international agenda, confirming that the foreign policy approaches of Moscow and Pretoria are similar or identical.

The parties discussed a wide range of issues related to the implementation of the Russian-South African strategic partnership, including interaction in trade, economic, science, technology, education, culture and other areas. It was stressed that the Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation is an effective driver of diverse business ties. The ministers also noted the broad prospects for constructive joint work involving the regions of Russia and South Africa.