•IBSA economic ministers met in New Delhi in March 2005, and decided to put in place arrangements for identifying and eliminating the non-tariff barriers which impede mutual trade. To this end, Brazil, India and South Africa have agreed on a common action plan, which includes establishment of a mechanism to exchange information and experiences between the parties on regulatory issues, organising sector-specific seminars and workshops on technical regulations and conformity assessmentand so on

•The working group on energy aims to promote the production and use of bio-fuels as environmentally friendly and sustainable fuels that would promote socio-economic development, taking into consideration their global importance. It also creates an opportunity for information exchanges on renewable energy and the bio-fuels value chain

•At the Rio de Janeiro ministerial meeting on March 30, 2006, the composition of the United Nations was discussed. The ministers felt that the UN Security Council must, in its composition, represent contemporary realities and not those of 1945. Keeping in view that the decisions of the Security Council should serve the interests of the larger UN membership, expansion in both categories of membership, permanent and non-permanent, is required. Towards this end, the representation of developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America, as permanent members of the Security Council, is essential