Russian president Vladimir Putin is set to make a trip to South Africa this week for talks on improving the two countries' economic ties.

Mr Putin will meet South African president Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday and it is anticipated that the discussions will focus on the economic relations between the two nations.

Russia is the largest producer of platinum outside of the African continent and it is thought that the importance of these two countries in the metal's production will have an important role in the talks.

In a report by the Centre for Strategic and Technological Studies (CSTS), analyst Andrei Maslov explained that the two countries are "in a dominant position in the diamond and platinum markets" and an agreement between the leaders in relation to their mining initiatives would be "advantageous" for the development of both nations.

The report states that many Russian companies are interested in the opportunities to invest in South African mining companies.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd