BRICS: A Key Global Forum, Says South African Minister

Johannesburg, Jun 12 (PTI) The emergence of the BRICS alliance and its new members has become an important global forum, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has said.

Pandor said this at a gathering of the BRICS foreign ministers in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod on Tuesday.

The BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

“BRICS has increasingly become an important global forum. We mark the expansion of BRICS to include further members of the global South and so increase our voice and influence as we continue to strive to shape a more fair, just and representative multipolar world order,” she said.

“It is important that we maintain the momentum across all pillars of cooperation in the BRICS spirit of solidarity, openness, mutual respect and understanding in full consultation and consensus. Our collaboration can enhance effective action in all three pillars of BRICS, namely financial and economic cooperation, political and security cooperation, and cultural and people-to-people cooperation.

“Together, we can realise the full potential of our BRICS economic partnership for mutually beneficial and inclusive economic growth and sustainable development,” Pandor added.

The minister said the world faced “very complex and political challenges that require ingenuity, innovation and increased global cooperation and we can be a force for good”, as she pledged South Africa's support to the new BRICS members.

“Our vision for BRICS is to foster a partnership that promotes the inclusion of countries of the global South in a fair, just, and equitable world, based on mutual respect and the equal sovereignty of nations.

“We see our partnership as a catalyst for sustained and mutually beneficial global growth and sustainable development that addresses the needs and demands of the entire world, not just the rich and the privileged,” Pandor said.

The minister reaffirmed South Africa's support for BRICS efforts to improve the stability of the international monetary and financial system, particularly through enhancing the interconnectivity of supply chains and payment systems to promote trade and investment among BRICS members and the broader global South.

She was hinting at widespread views of economists that the BRICS countries were planning to start trading in local currencies by delinking from the US dollar.

Pandor also committed South Africa's support for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' plan to convene the ‘Summit of the Future'.

“We are committed to ensuring that this is successful in contributing to bridging the development divide and providing new solutions to tomorrow's challenges,” she said.

“The ‘Summit of the Future' should allow for progress in achieving the sustainable development goals and advance our debates on transforming the international systems of power, governance, finance, debt, trade, and technology so that no one and no country is left behind,” Pandor said.

On the subject of the conflict in Gaza, Pandor said International Law should be uniformly applied and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld by all.

“All of us must consider playing a role in securing peace and security for both Palestine and Israel. There can be no real and lasting peace in the region in the absence of justice for Palestine and a just and equitable resolution to the Palestinian question – for the benefit of both Palestinians and Israelis,” Pandor said.

“The only realistic solution is the creation of two states based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the Capital of Palestine. We reiterate our support for the full membership of Palestine in the United Nations,” Pandor advocated.

Commending India for including the African Union as a member of the G20 during India's Chairmanship of the organisation, Pandor said it provided a unique opportunity for South Africa and all G20 members to jointly champion Agenda 2063.