2nd
IBSA Summit
Binds 3 Nations
with 6 MoUs
& 1 Agreement
Six MoUs and
agreement were
signed during
the 2nd India
Brazil South
Africa (IBSA)
Summit at Tshwane,
South Africa
on 17 October
2007.
These were signed
in the presence
of the Indian
Prime Minister
and the Presidents
respectively
of South Africa
and Brazil.
The
salient features
of these MoUs/Agreements
are:
•
Agreement on
Customs and
Tax administration
Cooperation
The purpose
of this Agreement
is to strengthen
trilateral cooperation
with the objectives
of: Facilitation
of legitimate
trade and investment;
Combating commercial
fraud, smuggling,
drug trafficking,
money laundering
and other illicit
international
trade activities;
Curbing abusive
tax avoidance
transactions,
arrangements,
shelters and
schemes; and
Strengthening
the modernization
programs of
the administrations
through capacity
building and
co-operation.
•
MoU on Public
Administration
and Governance
This MoU provides
for cooperation
in specialised
areas such as
e-governance,
human resources
development,
anti-corruption
and ethics,
and accountability
and transparency.
• MoU
on Cooperation
in the field
of Health and
Medicine
This MoU provides
for development
of a common
strategy to
tackle HIV/AIDS
epidemic. The
areas of cooperation
include Tuberculosis
(TB), Malaria,
Pharmaceutical
assistance,
Procurement
of medicines,
vaccines, medical
research and
development,
Traditional
Medicine, Intellectual
property rights
and Disease
surveillance.
•
MoU
on Cooperation
in the field
of Education
The objectives
of this MoU
are creation
of conditions
for cooperation
among academic
institutions,
faculties, researchers
and students
and by means
of joint research
projects; alignment
of the higher
education systems
in the way that
they relate
to each other,
to social and
economic development,
and to local
communities;
the strengthening
of training
and high-level
professional
development
programmes;
and enhancing
the exchange
of scientific
information
and specialized
documentation
among the three
countries. The
focus areas
identified are
Engineering,
Computer Sciences
and Mathematical
Sciences; Biotechnology,
Agriculture
and Livestock;
Sustainable
Development;
Social Transformation
and Empowerment;
and Higher Education
Studies.
•
MoU
on Cooperation
in the Field
of Social Issues
This MoU envisages
cooperation
in the field
of social development,
poverty eradication,
social security,
social policy,
monitoring and
evaluation,
institutional
capacity building,
micro-finance,
and co-operation
in multilateral
fora.
•
MoU on Cooperation
in Wind Resource
The areas of
cooperation
under this MoU
are wind power
resource assessment,
standards, testing
facilities and
certification
procedures for
wind resource
systems, subsystems,
and components;
deployment of
wind power systems;
and design and
development
of wind power
systems, especially
for low wind
regimes.
MoU on Cultural
Cooperation
This MoU aims
to promote the
exchange of
cultural activities
and expertise;
develop cooperation
in areas of
preservation
of historic,
artistic, cultural
heritage and
as well as development
of creative
industries;
encourage travel
among three
countries; and
increase awareness
amongst peoples
of the concerned
countries regarding
IBSA as a brand
name through
cultural exchanges.
