Erdogan arrives in Johannesburg to attend BRICS summit

By Enes Kaplan

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday arrived in Johannesburg to attend the BRICS summit.

Erdogan, who arrived at 9.55 p.m. local time (1955 GMT), was welcomed by South African Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies and Turkey's Ambassador to South Africa Elif Comoglu Ulgen at the OR Tambo International Airport.

The BRICS regional bloc is made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, countries that share over 20 percent of the global economy and contribute around 17 percent to international trade.

The Turkish president is accompanied by his wife Emine Erdogan, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Treasury anf Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan, and two lawmakers from Justice and Development (AK) Party and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

The 10th summit started on Wednesday and will end on Friday.

Erdogan’s attendance at the summit will serve as the first high-level contact between Turkey and the BRICS bloc.

On the sidelines of the summit, Erdogan will also hold bilateral talks with the leaders of all BRICS member states and other invited leaders.

He will also meet Turkish community in South Africa, as well as prominent businesspeople and opinion leaders of Muslim community.

Turkish president will also open the new building of Turkish Embassy.