South Africa supports expansion of membership of BRICS: Ramaphosa

Johannesburg, Aug 21 (PTI) South Africa supports increasing the number of members of the BRICS bloc, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a nationally broadcast address to the nation on Sunday evening.

This issue of applications by 22 countries to become members of BRICS is on the agenda for the leaders of the five BRICS nations, who will meet in Johannesburg on Wednesday this week for the 15th edition of the BRICS Summit.

“South Africa supports the expansion of the membership of BRICS. The value of BRICS extends beyond the interests of its current members. For its efforts to be more effective, BRICS needs to build partnerships with other countries that share its aspirations and perspectives,” Ramaphosa said.

BRICS is a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

“An expanded BRICS will represent a diverse group of nations with different political systems that share a common desire to have a more balanced global order,” Ramaphosa said as he welcomed the participation in the Summit of a host of other leaders from Africa, the Caribbean, South America, the Middle East, West Asia, South Asia and South-East Asia.

Ramaphosa said this BRICS Summit was particularly important because it is being held while the world is confronted by fundamental challenges that are bound to determine the course of international events for years to come.

“Our world has become increasingly complex and fractured as it is increasingly polarised into competing camps. Multilateralism is being replaced by the actions of different power blocs, all of which we trade with, invest with, and whose technology we use,” he said.

Ramaphosa reaffirmed that South Africa continues to advocate for an open and rules-based global governance, trade, financial and investment system.

“It must be a system that does not depend on the exercise of power or unilateralism, but by the advancement of the interests of the peoples of the world,” the President said as he explained how South Africa’s post-apartheid foreign policy stance has positioned South Africa as a reliable and influential partner on the African continent and in the world.

“We have resisted pressure to align ourselves with any one of the global powers or with influential blocs of nations. While some of our detractors prefer overt support for their political and ideological choices, we will not be drawn into a contest between global powers,” Ramaphosa said, in a hint to the pressure that had earlier been exerted on South Africa to decry the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

South Africa abstained from a vote on this at the UN, and later also publicly stated that it would not be bullied into taking sides in the war.

“Our country is committed to a policy of non-alignment (and) strives to work with all countries for global peace and development. This has enabled our country to have friendly and valuable relations with countries around the world at political, diplomatic, trade, investment, sporting, social and many other levels. It is these principles that guide our participation in BRICS,” Ramaphosa said.

He also highlighted the benefits that BRICS through its influence on global affairs.

“BRICS as a formation plays an important role in the world due to its economic power, market potential, political influence and development cooperation. Yet the value of BRICS extends beyond its sheer size. BRICS countries can collectively shape global dynamics, and acting together, have the potential to drive significant changes in the world economy and international relations,” Ramaphosa said.

“Together, the BRICS members have used their collective voice to call for a world that is more equitable, balanced and governed by an inclusive system of global governance,” he added.

Ramaphosa said that being a BRICS member has created positive opportunities for not only South Africa, but for the African continent at large.

“South Africa has always championed the interests of Africa within BRICS. We want to build a partnership between BRICS and Africa so that our continent can unlock opportunities for increased trade, investment and infrastructure development.

“There are great opportunities for other BRICS countries to participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area by locating production and services in various countries on the African continent, including our own, by partnering with local companies and entrepreneurs,” Ramaphosa said.