Chair of BRICS in 2023, South Africa Aims to Enhance Cooperation Within Bloc, Official Says

Since its establishment in 2006, the BRICS partnership has been steadily growing deeper, with member states strengthening their relations and other countries voicing their desire to join the group. Next year, South Africa will assume the BRICS presidency.

South Africa is determined to enhance its cooperation with other BRICS member states as the country assumes chairmanship of the group, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor said during a briefing to the media.

“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,” she stated.

According to the minister, South Africa will further promote concrete cooperation that contributes "to the priorities of a better South Africa, a better Africa, and a better world". The country will advance its partnership "with key players of the Global South" in all areas of mutual interest for the sake of development.

She highlighted that the country's membership of BRICS has already contributed to expanding of the group's "geographic reach, representitiveness and inclusivity." The BRICS member states are the continent's biggest trade partners, as well as the largest new investors, and the "growth potential of the BRICS-Africa economic partnership is well recognized."

The country will assume the chairmanship of the bloc on 1 January 2023, taking over from China. According to the minister, South Africa is expected to schedule a summit, other meetings, and joint events with fellow BRICS members.

"We will focus on providing strategic leadership during our tenure as BRICS Chairman, in close consultation with other members, based on the Chairman's agenda, priorities and previously agreed decisions," Pandor noted.

BRICS is an informal association of the world's leading emerging economies, which was formed to enhance cooperation between these countries and develop common approaches to global economic challenges. Algeria recently made an official application to join BRICS, following in the footsteps of Iran and Argentina, who also announced they were seeking membership to the group this year.