Manmohan Singh leaves for South Africa

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left for South Africa to attend the second IBSA summit after a two-day visit to Nigeria during which the two sides signed a number of agreements to boost bilateral cooperation, including in trade and investment.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left here on Tuesday for South Africa to attend the second IBSA summit after a two-day visit to Nigeria during which the two sides signed a number of agreements to boost bilateral cooperation, including in trade and investment.

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Singh, who also addressed a joint session of the Nigerian National Assembly, was given a ceremonial send off at the State House by Nigerian President Yar'Adua.

At the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Summit in Pretoria, Singh, South African President Thabo Mbeki and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would be looking at ways to make the relationship among the three countries more "tangible".

Besides deepening South-South cooperation through concrete projects and programmes in key areas of trilateral cooperation, the meeting is expected to provide an opportunity to the leaders to coordinate joint positions on issues of global importance.

The meeting is likely to come out with a joint declaration and memoranda of understanding and agreements on public administration, higher education, health and medicines, social development, cultural cooperation and energy.

The Prime Minister, during the two-day stay, will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of South Africa and Brazil, both members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

This is Singh's second visit to South Africa in a year. He had earlier visited the country for the centenary celebrations of 'Satyagraha'.