Pretoria - Leaders from the IBSA bloc have reaffirmed their commitment to increase the participation of developing countries in the decision-making bodies of multilateral institutions, including the United Nations Security Council.
President Jacob Zuma's meeting this week with the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff also called for what the leaders referred to as the transformation of the current international system "to be more reflective of the needs and priorities of developing countries".
IBSA, as like-minded countries, will continue to strive to contribute to a new world order, "whose political, economic and financial architecture is more inclusive, representative and legitimate," officials said in a statement issued after the meeting in Pretoria.
This week's gathering of the three Heads of State had decided to focus more on key areas and allocate these to the three countries, with South Africa tasked to focus on trade and infrastructure, India on health and technology and Brazil on agriculture and the environment.
They expressed their satisfaction with the positive role that the three IBSA countries have been playing in the maintenance of international peace and security during their current tenure on the Security Council.
Close cooperation will continue in the group to ensure the substance of long-term capital flows to developing countries to stimulate investment, especially in infrastructure.
Officials in the department of International Relations and Cooperation further said Zuma and the two leaders emphasised the importance of the G20 development agenda, with its focus on the contribution to sustainable growth in developing countries, especially in low income countries.
"They committed themselves to work together for the continued mainstreaming of the development agenda of the G20 in the future, with the emphasis on infrastructure, food security and trade."
There was a call for the early implementation of the targets for the reform of the International Monetary Fund relating to the mandate, representation and governance.
On South Africa's hosting of the international climate change conference later this year, the meeting called for the outcome of Durban to be "comprehensive, balanced and ambitious. In particular the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities," the IBSA leaders said.
