International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor on Monday said the Brics summit will provide an opportunity for Brics leaders to reflect on all the elements of cooperation.
“The XV Brics summits will also provide an opportunity to amplify the voices of our friends in Africa and the global South with the Brics-Africa Outreach and Brics Plus Dialogue,” Pandor said.
Pandor was briefing the media on South Africa’s preparations for hosting the summit in Gauteng from August 22 to 24.
She said South Africa was privileged to be chair of Brics this year since it was invited into the bloc in 2010.
The summit will be hosted in-person since the emergence of Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent global travel restrictions. The leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa will attend in person while Russian President Vladimir Putin will participate virtually.
Pandor noted that South Africa was chairing Brics in a dynamic global environment where the eyes of the world are on it.
“Developments in the ICC were the sole topic of discussion around the summit for most of the year. We have consistently stated that we are aware of our domestic and international legal obligations,” she said.
“We have also been very conscious of the diplomatic implications of the narratives created around these developments,” Pandor added.
As part of build-up to the summit, the Department of Trade and Industry will host Brics business programme to foster economic growth, promote collaboration, attract investment and showcase opportunities within South Africa and Brics countries on August 19-23. The first event of the Brics leaders programme will be the business forum leaders’ dialogue on August 22.
Pandor stated that the Brics summit was expected to discuss the issue of membership expansion of Brics.
“The current geopolitical context has driven renewed interest in Brics membership as countries of the global South look for alternatives in a multi-polar world.”
Pandor said they have had formal discussions of interest from leaders of 23 countries in joining Brics and many more informal approaches about possibilities of Brics membership.
“We see this interest as recognition of the choice of Brics as a champion of the interests of the global South, particularly our agenda for reform and inclusion of the global South - true to our founding values.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa has invited 67 leaders from Africa and the global South to attend the Brics Africa Outreach and Brics Plus Dialogue and confirmations have been received from no less than 34 countries.
Pandor said the summit was an occasion for the voices of Brics, Africa and global South to converge and be heard.
“We meet to reflect on the status of cooperation, to consider regional and global developments and to assess the status of global governance reform.
“We plan to leave the summit with concrete, practical and implementable plans to strengthen the Brics-Africa partnership and a way forward towards greater inclusion of the global South in the benefits of global economic recovery and a transformed global order,” she said.
She also said they were astounded by reports that the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi was considering not attending the Brics summit.
“I did speak to various colleagues in government and outside and everybody was astounded about this rumour. There is someone trying to create all sorts of stories that it (Brics summit) won’t be successful,” Pandor said.
Cape Times