Hon Speaker, Brics co-operatives, an historic co- operatives meeting, took place in South Africa on 26 and 27 October this year. The countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - shared their experiences of successes and challenges in their different countries with regard to the role of co-operatives in both social and economic development.
Lessons for Brics and South Africa, in particular, are that South African co-operatives lag behind the other four. Therefore we agreed that co- operatives in the four Brics countries should assist in the development of South African co-operatives to the same developmental stage as the others. We also agree that co-operatives should do more business with each other, and co-operatives should procure goods from each other in different Brics countries.
There is a proposal to establish a Brics co-operative office. All departments in South Africa should prioritise co-operatives in their plans. That will go a long way towards reducing the triple challenge, namely poverty, unemployment and inequality.
Brics countries resolved to assist each other in the areas of skills, knowledge and development. Above all, South African co-operatives should strive to organise and develop themselves under the apex, the South African National Apex Co-operatives Ltd, Sanaco. Viva, co-operatives! [Interjections.] [Applause.]