BRICS Can Resolve Global Issues, South African FM Says

Ealier this year, South Africa took over the BRICS presidency from China and began to execute duties as the BRICS chair. The African state became a part of the international bloc in 2010 and has chaired it twice – in 2013 and 2018.

BRICS is able to find solutions to complex geopolitical and economic issues the international community is facing, South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor has claimed.

“BRICS can provide the leadership necessary to strengthen multilateralism, bring about meaningful reform and can also work together to drive a sustainable global economic recovery," Pandor emphasized in a statement published by the South African Foreign Ministry.

Speaking about other states’ interest in joining BRICS, she said the attractiveness of the bloc relates the fact that it “has remained true to its values of strengthening multilateralism, driving reform as well as boosting global economic growth and stability."

Last month, Pandor informed that BRICS was working on determining criteria for states that want to join the group and a decision to accept new members might be made by the end of this year.

According to her, South Africa is going to make maximum efforts in its work within the framework of BRICS in line with the group’s theme for 2023 set by the chair – “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism."

South Africa hosted the first meeting of BRICS Sherpas and sous-Sherpas – proxies of the heads of the member countries – in Bela Bela from February 1-2.

The meeting is the first step of the BRICS group under the current South African presidency ahead of the bloc’s 15th Summit in Durban, South Africa, in August this year.

BRICS is an international forum, which was initially created under the name “BRIC” in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China. South Africa joined the bloc in 2011 - transforming BRIC to BRICS.