Kagame was speaking Friday in South Africa while addressing the BRICS dialogue on the sidelines of the grouping summit.
BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa
Kagame said that both organisations have common interests in an open fair and international system.
“Strengthening cooperation with BRICS, contributes to medium and long-term human security and wider benefits, especially employment, for Africa’s young population,” he said.
“We want to collaborate on key sectors, including industrialization, infrastructure, as well as peace and security, which are at the heart of the African Union’s Agenda 2063,” he added.
He said that continued investments in new technologies, as defined in the Fourth Industrial Revolution provide unlimited opportunities to realise common aspirations.
“Indeed, industrialisation makes more sense when we factor in new technologies. For Africa, the challenge is to ensure that the current momentum is not lost to us, but rather maintained and even increased,” he noted.
The Head of State said that the newly launched African Continental Free Trade Area, is set to change in positive and far-reaching ways how Africa does business with itself and the rest of the world.
He said they are working on a more unified and effective African Union, that will enhance continent’s governance and cooperation with partners around the world.
“There is clearly a convergence of interests, between Africa and BRICS members. What is most needed is a mechanism for effective delivery on agreed areas,” Kagame added.
The three-day summit taking place on its 10th edition was attended by President Michel Temer of Brazil, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, President Xi Jinping of China and host President Cyril Ramaphosa among others.
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