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South African Tourism Celebrates BRICS Business Council’s 10-year anniversary
Ahead of the BRICS Summit, which officially kicks off today to 24 August 2023, South African Tourism (SA Tourism) hosted delegates at the welcome event of the 10th Anniversary of the BRICS Business Council on Sunday afternoon.
The BRICS Business Council was established during the Fifth BRICS Summit held on 26th – 27th March 2013 in Durban, South Africa.
The objective of creating the council was to constitute a platform that promotes and strengthens business, trade, and investment ties amongst the business communities of the five BRICS countries.
It was also formed to ensure that there is regular dialogue between the business communities of the BRICS nations and the governments of the BRICS countries. This year, therefore, South African Tourism, along with the BRICS Business Council, is celebrating a decade of cooperation and partnership.
“Over the years, we have seen growing enthusiasm for travel among the people of BRICS countries. We can all agree that tourism serves as a bridge that connects cultures and opens avenues of dialogue that transcend language barriers and political boundaries. Tourism is also a contributor to economic growth. Tourism is a force that unites people in their pursuit of discovery, adventure, and shared experiences. Therefore, tourism has a profound impact on strengthening bilateral relations,” said Nomasonto Ndlovu, Acting CEO of South African Tourism speaking at the welcome event,
“South Africa was the birthplace of the BRICS Business Council and we brought together our respective business communities with the objective of creating a platform to strengthen business, trade, investment ties, travel and connections amongst business communities across the borders of our respective countries”, BRICS Business Council Chairperson, Ms. Busi Mabuza said.
In highlighting South Africa’s essence through arts, culture, and storytelling, the guests had the pleasure of enjoying a performance by Lebo Mashile, an award-winning poet, author, presenter, actress, and producer.
The globally-acclaimed Ndlovu Youth Choir delivered a captivating performance that brought South Africa’s spirit to the stage with a harmonious fusion of talent, culture, resonant voices and vibrant rhythms that echo the nation’s heartbeat.
“Hosting events such as the BRICS Summit showcases South Africa’s hosting capacity and capability and contributes to our tourism sector recovery. Through MICE [Meetings Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions] events such as the BRICS Summit, we are enhancing collaboration, spurring economic growth, and deepening cross-cultural exchanges among our various nations. Of course, in the process, we stimulate innovation and drive progress that extends far beyond borders. I invite you to explore our many MICE facilities and venues not only here in Gauteng but the rest of South Africa too,” Ndlovu added.
Attending the event were the big business minds and captains of the tourism industry whom Ndlovu encouraged to not only attend the meetings as part of the BRICS summit but to also take time to explore beyond the summit’s corridors.
South African Tourism also brought the sustainability village to the event. Designed to support and boost emerging local businesses, the sustainability village is a collection of vendors selling authentically and uniquely South African arts and crafts and fashion items. It offered the guests an opportunity to shop and buy items thus symbolically taking a piece of South Africa back home with them.
Between January and June 2023, South Africa welcomed 9 118 tourists from Brazil up by 60.3% when compared to the same period in 2022. South Africa received 13 806 tourists from Russia up by 146.3% when compared to January to June 2022. The country welcomed 41 668 Indian tourists up by 82.5 % when compared to the same period last year and 16 290 Chinese tourists came to South Africa in the first half of 2023 marking a 266.9% increase when compared to the first half of 2022.
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Youth urged to take proactive stance on ozone depletion
•Mr Joseph Amankwah, first counting from, some officials from EPA and UNDP in group picture with the student
Mr Joseph Amankwah, the Director of Ozone Layer and Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has urged the youth to take a proactive stance on issues related to ozone depletion, emphasising that their future would be most affected by its consequences.
Speaking during a student engagement event at the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, he highlighted the critical role young people played in tackling climate-related challenges.
Mr Amankwah explained that human activities, such as the use of certain chemicals, were significantly contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer and driving climate change.
He said it was important to educate the youth on these issues, encouraging them to share this knowledge with their families to foster a broader understanding and active participation in climate action.
He urged the education sector to integrate lessons on the ozone layer, the causes of its depletion, and its links to climate change into the curriculum.
The event, organised by the EPA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was designed to foster environmental awareness and promote a sense of responsibility among young people.
Mr Amankwah noted that ozone layer depletion was affecting everyone, including children, as it alters weather patterns and threatens the natural environment.
He highlighted the need for young people to develop ‘green skills’ to adapt to the challenges of climate change and to understand ways to combat it.
He added that World Ozone Day, observed every September, would focus on youth engagement in environmental issues, to help them understand the long-term consequences of ozone depletion and climate change.
Mr Amankwah also discussed the harmful impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a major chemical contributor to ozone depletion.
He explained that household appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners were common sources of CFC emissions in Ghana.
Many uncertified technicians work on these appliances, often releasing harmful chemicals into the atmosphere due to improper handling, he noted.
To address this, he urged appliance repairers to obtain proper certification and training, emphasising that unqualified repairs not only harm the environment but also endangered public health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman,
Koforidua
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Small-scale miners schooled on health hazards of mining with mercury
Mr Lovelace Sarpong (right) addressing the participants
Some Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in the Ashanti and Central regions have been sensitised on the potential health dangers humans are exposed to with the use of mercury in gold processing.
The sensitisation which was organised by PlanetGOLD Ghana project was to raise awareness about the negative impacts on the use of mercury in mining activities.
According to the PlanetGOLD Ghana Project Coordinator, Mr Lovelace Sarpong, the use of mercury in artisanal small-scale mining pose health challenges that affects the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys; and may be fatal.
Some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that benefited from the exercise were Amansie Central, Asante Akim North, Amansie South, Amansie West, Bekwai, and Adansi North in the Ashanti Region, and Upper Denkyira East (Dunkwa-on-Offin) and Upper Denkyira West (Diaso) in the Central Region.
Additionally, he said inorganic salts of mercury were corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
He stated that the PlanetGOLD Project has conducted several initiatives to raise awareness on reducing mercury exposure among artisanal and small-scale gold mining actors in the country.
It was to promote mercury-free mining practices in line with Ghana’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, support the formalisation of the ASGM sector while advocating the adoption of the CRAFT Code and responsible supply chains, and raise awareness on the availability of mercury-free alternatives.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area Head for Konongo, Mr Dawood Abbas, underscored the importance of government’s environmental regulations and EPA’s role in ensuring compliance within the ASGM sector.
He encouraged miners to prioritise environmental stewardship to gain community trust and secure a Social License to Operate (SLO) and reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to enforce its commitments under the Minamata Convention.
BY Cecilia Lagba Yada
