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**Author: Gert Grobler : Former ambassador and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of African Studies , Zhejiang Normal University , Jinhua ,China **
South Africa is chairing the BRICS group of countries in 2023 and will therefore be hosting the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China at the 15th BRICS Summit , under the theme, “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism “, in Johannesburg from 22 to 24 August 2023.
As excitement and interest builds up for the BRICS Summit this year, the country is experiencing a busy calendar on the diplomatic front with many delegations arriving in South Africa for a total of 200 BRICS related meetings during the year . The Summit will, in fact , be one of the largest gatherings post-Covid, with at least 67 International leaders attending the Summit , while 1 000 delegates are expected for the BRICS business council gathering as well as a huge media contingent.
As regards the upcoming Summit ,South Africa will endeavor to provide strategic leadership during its tenure as BRICS Chair, in close consultation with other Members, based on the Chair’s priorities and previously agreed-upon decisions and to ensure coordination and continuity in BRICS objectives and activities.
South Africa and its fellow BRICS partners , in fact , look forward to utilizing the Summit to further cement intra-BRICS cooperation under the three pillars - political and security, economic and financial, and cultural & people-to- people exchanges and draw up an enhanced blueprint for future BRICS cooperation aimed at making a growing contribution towards global peace and stability ,development and prosperity.
Given the excellent relations with China , South Africa , in particular , sincerely appreciates the support of China in hosting the 2023 BRICS Summit as reflected in a recent constructive message by President XI Jinping to South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa : “China is ready to work with South Africa to maintain the development momentum of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, build a high-quality partnership that is more comprehensive, closer, more pragmatic and more inclusive, realize the development of member countries and promote more robust, greener and sounder global development. “
Since its inception in 2009, BRICS has become a positive, stabilizing and constructive force with rising international influence and appeal on the international stage, and has always been closely linked to the destiny of emerging markets and developing countries.
Based on the many achievements of BRICS , it goes without saying that the BRICS platform represents one of the most significant developments in global governance. BRICS has over the past decade increasingly demonstrated an ability to embark on concrete and innovative measures aimed at addressing the deep imbalances afflicting the globe .
BRICS can be proud of its cooperation achievements which is multi -sectorial and multi- faceted in nature , covering wide ranging areas such as governance , security , economy ,energy , climate change , trade , finance and social development .The progress that has been recorded is due to the collective commitment of all BRICS members to ensure the effective implementation of all its decisions which are based on consensus .
South Africa has reaped significant benefits from its membership of this important bloc, most notably in the area of economic cooperation.
Being part of BRICS , enabled South Africa to employ additional and powerful tools in its fight to address its domestic triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality through increased trade, investment, tourism as well as capacity building, skills and technology transfer .
The main objectives of South Africa’s engagement in BRICS are to enhance the future growth and development of South Africa and to strengthen intra-BRICS relations and mutually beneficial cooperation.
In a BRICS context , South Africa will continue to emphasise concrete cooperation that contributes both directly and indirectly to the priorities of a better South Africa, a better Africa, and a better world through its partnership with key players of the Global South on issues related to global governance and its reform, and development.
To enhance these objectives , the following will be the key priorities during the Summit :
– South Africa’s ‘s declared strategic intent to further advance the African development agenda within the BRICS group including the building of a partnership between BRICS and Africa to unlock mutually beneficial opportunities for increased trade, investment and infrastructure through the African Continental Free Trade Area . Furthermore to strengthen post-pandemic socio-economic recovery and the attainment of the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development .
– Developing a partnership towards an equitable Just Energy Transition in South Africa .This aim is to alleviate the effects of climate change by moving towards a net zero carbon dioxide emissions target by 2050, while at the same time ensuring that no one gets left behind.
– Transforming education and skills development for the future, particularly aimed at the adoption of Fourth-Industrial-Revolution (4IR) technologies in Africa and equipping the youth with the skills needed to benefit from this important megatrend.
-Promoting sustainable development is one of the group’s key priorities outlined in the 2020-2025 BRICS strategy amongst others the strengthening of post-pandemic socio-economic recovery and the attainment of the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. It is also of critical importance in the light of the increasingly devastating effects of climate change . With 40% of the global population and 26% of the world’s land surface, BRICS is well placed to drive the world towards sustainable development and prevent a climate catastrophe.
– Strengthening multilateralism, including working towards real reform of global governance institutions . One of the founding values of BRICS is the need to restructure the global political, economic and financial architecture to be more equitable, balanced and representative.
-Actively promoting South-South cooperation through establishing vibrant and robust trade, investment, scientific and cultural networks between developing countries. In its 2020-2025 Strategy, the BRICS group defined concrete ways of enhancing South-South relations.
-During the 2022 Summit, BRICS countries declared their “support promoting discussions among BRICS members on an expansion process" . The growing interest in BRICS indicates that many countries are searching for a multi polar forum that is modern, inclusive, and oriented toward the good of all . There will therefore be an increasing focus at the Summit on the need to clarify the guiding principles, standards, criteria, and procedures for this expansion process on the basis of full consultation and consensus.
As regards the final arrangements for the Summit which are progressing well , the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa , Dr Naledi Pandor has confirmed that the BRICS summit will go ahead in Johannesburg in August , as originally planned and added the following :
Comprehensive preparations for the Summit are underway in South Africa by the police and security authorities to , in consultation with all its partners , ensure the safety of all the high level delegations and visitors to the summit by enhancing policing in the country through technology, specialised skills and a modernised South African police service as a matter of urgency . China's Minister of Public Security, Wang Xiaohong hosted South Africa’s Minister of Police ,Bheki Cele , in China in June 2023. Apart from holding highly fruitful discussions on increasing cooperation on policing , the two Ministers also reflected on the security preparations for the BRICS summit in Johannesburg . China declared that is was ready to work with South Africa to bolster the security in the country during the BRICS Summit which was warmly welcomed by the South African side .
Contradicting all expectations in the West of the eventual weakening of the group, the BRICS member countries continue to work in a committed fashion towards strengthening consultation and cooperation. Critics of BRICS who thought that the formation would be just another talk shop , have been proven wrong . It will , no doubt, once again be evident during the upcoming Summit and it’s outcome , that BRICS , based on its mandate to restructure the global political, economic and financial architecture to be more equitable, balanced and representative , is indeed a goal oriented formation with continuity , concrete and tactical actions .
(APD News)
