PRETORIA, December 9. /TASS/. Russia and China will help the African Union (AU) create the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC), South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said on Tuesday.

“Russian counterparts showed interest in providing material support to the initiative. So did the Chinese,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

She commented on the results of the visit to Beijing by South African President Jacob Zuma and her trip to Russia in August 2014.

“Other countries in the world say time has come to support African solutions to African problems. We welcome this support particularly within the BRICS forum,” she said.

“When we interact with BRICS countries they show willingness to support the force. Our (African) chiefs of defense and security are finalizing the modalities. It is an African initiative and the force should be Africa-led,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

An idea of creating the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises was put forth by the South African president. Last year the AU summit approved it. The African intervention brigade, which crushed M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was the forerunner of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises.