INSIDE POLITICS REPORTER
MINISTER of International Relations, Naledi Pandor, has emphasized the potential for the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) mechanism to play a transformative role in global affairs.
Pandor outlined South Africa’s foreign policy priorities for the 2023/2024 financial year during a Budget Vote Speech delivered in Parliament on Wednesday.
As South Africa prepares to assume the chairmanship of BRICS in 2023, Pandor has expressed hope that the group’s leaders will take a stronger role in promoting peace in Ukraine and Russia.
She has also welcomed the efforts of Chinese President Xi Jinping and former Brazilian President Lula da Silva in this regard.
Pandor has also noted that BRICS has generated significant interest from other countries, and that the group’s Sherpas are working on ways to respond to this interest.
It is important, she emphasized, that any agreements reached by BRICS strengthen multilateralism, the United Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
She expressed her hope that the group’s leaders will provide clear guidelines at the upcoming BRICS Summit.
The growing interest in BRICS, Pandor believes, reflects a broader search for a multipolar forum that is modern, inclusive, and oriented towards the common good. With South Africa assuming the chairmanship of BRICS in 2023, there is an opportunity for the group to further consolidate its role as a key player in global affairs.
“Our BRICS theme is “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism.” BRICS is our partnership of emerging economies and developing countries that wish to play a role in world affairs, ensuring benefit to the global South. We are encouraged by the growth and resilience of the New Development Bank of BRICS and welcome the new members. The bank has assisted members to secure funding to address infrastructure needs, support the unblocking of regional value chains, and localisation of production capacity,” said Pandor.
“Our partnership with BRICS has resulted in tangible benefits for our country in a wide range of sectors. Total trade with BRICS countries has increased from 487 billion rand in 2017 to 702 billion rand in 2021. We have received funding of over 5 billion dollars from the NDB for key infrastructure projects in renewable energy, water, and other sectors.”
According to Pandor, South Africa’s priorities for BRICS in 2023 include developing a partnership that promotes an equitable and just transition towards a sustainable future, transforming education and skills development to meet future needs, unlocking opportunities through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), strengthening post-pandemic economic recovery, and enhancing multilateralism.
She also noted that BRICS countries share a commitment to a strong multilateral system and to reforming the United Nations Security Council.
The goal for this year is to increase the strength of BRICS and to ensure the successful hosting of the BRICS Summit in August.
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