New Delhi [India], September 11 (ANI): India’s ability to host the BRICS summit with warmth, efficiency, and a strong hospitality ecosystem has been "on another level", with South African tourism and business leader Thembisa Jimana lauding the preparations for the dignitaries. She also called for deeper India-South Africa cooperation in women-led entrepreneurship.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi on Friday, Jimana, Executive Director of BRICS Tourism and a member of the BRICS Women Business Alliance, said her experience of attending several BRICS summits had made her particularly attentive to the quality of hospitality offered by host countries.
“You know, I've attended so many BRICS summits. The hospitality here is on another level,” Jimana said.
Drawing on her experience in the tourism sector in South Africa, she said she assesses a country's hosting capabilities through several aspects, including transport, language and the warmth extended to visitors.
“Normally, when I go out in the country, I check the hospitality from transport, language, the warmth — it's there. People, they really understand hosting,” she said.
Beyond the summit's hosting, Jimana highlighted the growing momentum in India-South Africa ties, particularly in creating opportunities for women entrepreneurs through the BRICS framework.
“They are doing so well so far. The bilaterals are really solid. We've had ministers that have come to India to solidify those bilaterals,” she said.
She pointed to the women-focused sessions held over two days as an important platform for discussions between entrepreneurs and potential investors, saying the engagement had opened avenues for collaboration between the two countries.
“We started with the women sessions for two days, which were a success, where we have discussions and we also meet potential investors for collaboration,” Jimana said.
“So the collaboration and the entire BRICS setup is really working for South Africa and India,” she added.
At the same time, Jimana stressed that the next phase of BRICS economic cooperation must focus on converting agreements into tangible financial opportunities for women-led businesses.
Her message was particularly focused on women entrepreneurs in rural areas, who often face limited access to resources and investment.
“Keep up the relations, working and also make sure that we don't only sign the contracts. There's money in the pockets of women, especially the women that are in rural development where there are no resources that come to them,” she said.
Jimana urged BRICS to ensure that women entrepreneurs are not merely represented at business forums but receive the capital and support needed to expand their enterprises.
“BRICS must ensure that it's not only us attending. There's money in the pockets of women so that we can advance women's businesses,” she said.
Emphasising the wider economic and social impact of investing in women, she said: “Because if you invest on a woman, you invest in the entire village, not just that particular woman that you invest on.”
For India and South Africa, the focus on women-led entrepreneurship adds another dimension to their expanding bilateral engagement, with business platforms under BRICS providing opportunities to connect entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers.
Jimana’s remarks come at a pivotal moment as New Delhi prepares to host world leaders for the 18th BRICS Summit over the weekend.
Anchored by the vision “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” India’s chairship puts a deeply compassionate, people-first philosophy at the core of global cooperation. (ANI)
'Indian hospitality on another level’: BRICS tourism South Africa head lauds India's hosting, calls for stronger women-led business ties
