Africa's fortunes, including Zimbabwe, are changing for the better as a result of partnerships with BRICS countries resulting in the acceleration of infrastructure development, Pan-African Parliament (PAP) president Chief Fortune Charumbira, has said.

He said the continent continues to register economic growth despite illegal sanctions imposed on some African countries including Zimbabwe and Sudan, by the United States and its Western allies.

Chief Charumbira said this while addressing a BRICS dinner in Johannesburg this week organised by the African National Congress' Progressive Business Forum to mark the group's 15th Heads of State and Government summit.

BRICS is an acronym for the powerful grouping of the world's leading emerging market economies namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

"Economic growth rates are increasing in many of our countries, new infrastructure is being built, communication systems and electronic connectivity are expanding and the manufacturing industry, though still weak, is starting to expand," said Chief Charumbira.

"BRICS countries are partners in a number of development projects particularly with regard to infrastructure development.

"There is a direct interest in extending cooperation between all the BRICS countries and Africa to support the continent's development agenda as it relates to infrastructure development and industrialisation."

Chief Charumbira said illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe have galvanised Harare to enhance cooperation with BRICS countries such as China and the bilateral relations have performed wonders.

"For countries such as Zimbabwe and Sudan under the yoke of illegal Western imposed sanctions for over a decade, the BRICS countries with their relative independence from the West, have provided a means of relief against the debilitating sanctions."