Foreign Minister of South Africa, Naledi Pandor has said that many nations across the globe are showing interest in joining the BRICS. Pandor, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, said this, while addressing delegates at the first BRICS Sherpa and Sous-Sherpa meeting of 2023 in Bela Bela, Limpopo province in South Africa.
“The significant interest in joining BRICS by many is a clear sign that BRICS has remained true to its values of strengthening multilateralism, driving reform as well as boosting global economic growth and stability,” Pandor said.
BRICS, an economic bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, was formed on June 16, 2009. South Africa joined BRICS in December 2010.
South Africa took over the chair of BRICS from China at the beginning of this year and will host the 15th BRICS Summit from August 22 to 24. The country has selected the year’s theme as ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism’.
Pandor said that with the pandemic eroding decades of development and the world facing geopolitical contestation, attention from global challenges that should be collectively addressed is diverting. “We need to combat the effects of climate change. We need to help the African continent finally silence the guns. These are the challenges of the most desperate in the world,” she said.
