Officials from the BRICS group of nations -- namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- have gathered to discuss the association's future economic development and, more specifically, how to benefit from the so-called "fourth industrial revolution". CGTN's Angelo Coppola has more on this from South Africa's Northwest Province.

While some analysts would suggest that the five countries are at different levels in terms of their economic growth, they are at a similar level in industrial development.

XIN GUOBIN, VICE MINISTER INDUSTRY& INFORMATION TECH, CHINA "I believe that the Brics member countries are quite similar in terms of industrial development stage, as we are all in the process of accelerating industrialization and ICT applications, which provides favorable conditions for our cooperation and development. Meanwhile, we should be aware that most of our industries remain more or less at the middle and lower end of the global industrial value chain."

Finding the right skill sets is a key ingredient in getting BRICS countries ready for the fourth industrial revolution.

CHAUDHARY CHHOTA RAM MINISTER OF STATE OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY, INDIA "It is therefore essential to undertake research on latest technological trends and their effect on the skills sets of the future to correctly equip the workforce with industry relevant skills, which are not audited."

Brics member countries are already working together, learning from each other, specifically on the single digital space.

GEORGY KALAMANOV, DEPUTY MINISTER INDUSTRY & TRADE, RUSSIAN FEDERATION "We support the Initiative of South Africa, devoted to the use of the fourth industrial revolution to promote inclusive economic growth, as well as the Brazilian initiative aimed to support SMEs and high tech startups. We believe that their implementation will have a positive impact on growth of investments."

South Africa has taken a broader view of its Brics membership, and its involvement on the continent. It wants to address intra African trade, which accounts for between 12 to 15 percent. It's looking at creating regional value chains.

ROB DAVIES MINISTER OF TRADE & INDUSTRY, SOUTH AFRICA "Which will create the opportunity for our continent to move up the value chain, to engage in more complex forms of production, to move away from our current position in the world economy, as large producers and exporters of primary commodities. In a word, it is to industrialize our continent."

ANGELO COPPOLA NORTHWEST PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA "The conversations here between the different heads of delegations all focused on cooperation, that fourth industrial revolution and finding ways to work together to bring each of the countries up to speed. I'm Angelo Coppola for CGTN in the Northwest, in South Africa."