https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230820/upcoming-brics-summit-already-a-success-experts-suggest-1061451709.html
Upcoming BRICS Summit 'Already a Success', Experts Suggest
Upcoming BRICS Summit 'Already a Success', Experts Suggest
Sputnik Africa
With the BRICS summit in South Africa around the corner, over 20 countries have applied to become members. The growing interest in the organization is due to... 20.08.2023, Sputnik Africa
2023-08-20T16:39+0200
2023-08-20T16:39+0200
2023-08-20T16:39+0200
2023 brics summit in johannesburg
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The world's attention will focus on the 15th BRICS Summit, which is to kick off in South Africa in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The event will bring together the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, along with many other participants from outside the bloc.Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to participate at the summit online against the background of the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for him. Pretoria is a party to the ICC's statute, while Moscow is not, and it has previously slammed the court's decision as meaningless. Instead, the Russian delegation at the event will be headed by the country's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. According to Anil Sooklal, South Africa's BRICS sherpa, the first day of the summit will be devoted to a business forum, with heads of state addressing participants at the final session in the evening. The agenda of the second day will reportedly include a closed discussion of geopolitics, security issues, finance, and economics and an open session with representatives of the Business Council, the Women's Business Alliance, and the BRICS New Development Bank. As for the benefits for the hosting nation, the BRICS summit is expected to contribute to the development of the South African infrastructure. Barba Gaoganediwe, the country's Gauteng province Tourism Authority's spokesperson, told Sputnik Africa on Saturday that the event will create opportunities to finance the country's energy projects.Just before the upcoming summit, which will be covered on the ground by Sputnik Africa reporters, we decided to discuss the expectations from this event with leading experts.Expansion of BRICSThe group plans to discuss the topic of the expansion of the organization at the summit. According to the South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, over 60 representatives from the states of the Global South, including Argentina, Bolivia, Indonesia, Iran, and Turkey, are anticipated at the summit.In addition, about 20 dignitaries of international organizations, including the United Nations, were invited.In addition, Kharief noted that within the organization, there are "countries that are diametrically different in terms of ideology, in terms of relations with different countries", ironizing on the fact that "this situation means that this summit has already won."Pandor recently announced that a total of 23 countries have expressed their willingness to join the organization. Among the candidates are several African countries - such as Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Senegal and Nigeria - as well as Iran, Turkey and Indonesia. All the candidates are reportedly expected to take part in the upcoming summit.Given the increasing interest in the bloc, Sputnik prepared an infographic on the countries that have provided a full application to the BRICS family.The main reason behind the growing attention of the Global South to the group is that BRICS promotes more just principles for the emerging global multipolar order, the Senegalese expert Benoit Ngom, head of the African Diplomatic Academy (ADA), explained.These sentiments were echoed by a research associate at South African foreign policy think tank, the Institute for Global Dialogue, by Ashraf Patel, who noted that a multipolar world is a key demand from the countries of the Global South.The expert also highlighted that BRICS members could provide new impetus for fairer global trade, noting that the World Trade Organization has stalled for the past few years.'Future for Everyone'Striving to create a new, more equitable world, BRICS supports the aspiration of a number of African countries and organizations to use local currencies instead of the US dollar.Commenting on potential benefits of increasing economic integration within the BRICS group, Global Dialogue's Patel noted the advantages of the new BRICS currency model, calling it "a game changer."The scientist added that if the candidates for the BRICS membership will be accepted, the base of the bloc's funds will be expanded, which is "successful" for the group's core states.During the Second Russia–Africa Summit, which took place in the Russian city St. Petersburg on July 27-28, Dilma Rousseff, the president of the BRICS New Development Bank, announced that the bloc is interested in increasing the use of national currencies in the trade. She also stressed that members of the BRICS group do not cooperate against third parties, even in financial matters.In addition, Algerian expert Kharief noted that the fact that India and China are joining forces within the BRICS "with a future economic and political vision," reflects the failure of the model dominated by the United States and the institutions that emerged from the Bretton Woods agreements. He also emphasized that the need for a new global deal, suggested by BRICS, is undeniable as "there has to be a future for everyone."Alternative to Unjust System & InsecurityAccording to Ngom, Africa would benefit from the alternative global system that BRICS advances as it will likely facilitate the African development.He also stressed that Africans are primarily interested in the growth of their countries and not in supporting one group or another.However, Patel noted that there are problems in Africa that are hindering the growth of the continent in the context of the development of the Global South. For instance, he named crises in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Niger and Ethiopia, as those that are diverting Africa's attention from development issues.
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Upcoming BRICS Summit 'Already a Success', Experts Suggest
Longread
With the BRICS summit in South Africa around the corner, over 20 countries have applied to become members. The growing interest in the organization is due to the fact that it proposes a positive alternative in international relations and is leading the transformation of the global order, experts interviewed by Sputnik Africa believe.
The world's attention will focus on the 15th BRICS Summit, which is to kick off in South Africa in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The event will bring together the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, along with many other participants from outside the bloc.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has
decided to participate at the summit online against the background of the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for him. Pretoria
is a party to the ICC's statute, while Moscow is not, and it has previously slammed the court's decision
as meaningless. Instead, the Russian delegation at the event will be headed by the country's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
According to Anil Sooklal, South Africa's BRICS sherpa, the first day of the summit will be devoted to a business forum, with heads of state addressing participants at the final session in the evening. The agenda of the second day will reportedly include a closed discussion of geopolitics, security issues, finance, and economics and an open session with representatives of the Business Council, the Women's Business Alliance, and the BRICS New Development Bank.
As for the benefits for the hosting nation, the BRICS summit is expected to contribute to the development of the South African infrastructure. Barba Gaoganediwe, the country's Gauteng province Tourism Authority's spokesperson, told
Sputnik Africa on Saturday that the event will create
opportunities to finance the country's energy projects
.Just before the upcoming summit, which will be covered on the ground by Sputnik Africa reporters, we decided to discuss the expectations from this event with leading experts.
The group plans to discuss the topic of the expansion of the organization at the summit.
According to the South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, over 60 representatives from the states of the Global South, including Argentina, Bolivia, Indonesia, Iran, and Turkey,
are anticipated at the summit.
In addition, about 20 dignitaries of international organizations,
including the United Nations, were invited.
"This summit, even before it took place, is a success since there are a huge number of countries that want to join the BRICS," Akram Kharief, founder of the military information site Menadefense, said.
In addition, Kharief noted that within the organization, there are "countries that are diametrically different in terms of ideology, in terms of relations with different countries", ironizing on the fact that "this situation means that this summit has already won."
Pandor recently announced that a total of 23 countries have expressed their willingness to join the organization. Among the candidates are several African countries - such as Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Senegal and Nigeria - as well as Iran, Turkey and Indonesia. All the candidates are reportedly
expected to take part in the upcoming summit.
Given the increasing interest in the bloc, Sputnik prepared an infographic on the countries that have provided a full application to the BRICS family.
The main reason behind the growing attention of the Global South to the group is that BRICS promotes more just principles for the emerging global multipolar order, the Senegalese expert Benoit Ngom, head of the African Diplomatic Academy (ADA), explained.
"BRICS constitutes a positive alternative in international relations. Today, we have the old system, we have a new system. And this new system has certainly influenced the old system which did not allow African countries, to speak only of them, to develop. This is indisputable," he noted.
These sentiments were echoed by a research associate at South African foreign policy think tank, the Institute for Global Dialogue, by Ashraf Patel, who noted that a multipolar world is a key demand from the countries of the Global South.
"The need for a multipolar world order is a key demand from nations of the Global South. G20 and BRICS are leading in this regard. However, real changes should also take place at UN level in terms of trade equity, real climate change support in the form of Loss and Damage Funds at the UNFCC and CoP 28," he stressed.
The expert also highlighted that BRICS members could provide new impetus for fairer global trade, noting that the World Trade Organization has stalled for the past few years.
"The WTO has been in sclerosis for the past several years, and many big trade issues are in dispute. So BRICS can add new momentum by members for making more equitable demands for trade justice and equitable intellectual property policies, for instance," Patel said.
Striving to create a new, more equitable world, BRICS supports the aspiration of a number of African countries and organizations to use local currencies instead of the US dollar.
Commenting on potential benefits of increasing economic integration within the BRICS group, Global Dialogue's Patel noted the advantages of the new
BRICS currency model, calling it "a game changer."
"BRICS programs such as the New Development Bank NDP provides a new model of development finance, and new members are accessing these funds. This is a game changer. The new BRICS currency model, starting at a regional level, can open a new trade system that is cheaper and linked to commodity trade and remove expensive trade finance costs by international banks," the expert told Sputnik Africa.
The scientist added that if the candidates for the BRICS membership will be accepted, the base of the bloc's funds will be expanded, which is "successful" for the group's core states.
"It is a game changer and new institutions and as new members access funds, and grow their national economy it becomes more attractive for other nations. It is successful for BRICS core nations, and now is expanding lending, so it’s a new game changer and needs new members that can grow the base," Patel said.
During the
Second Russia–Africa Summit, which took place in the Russian city St. Petersburg on July 27-28, Dilma Rousseff, the president of the BRICS New Development Bank, announced that the bloc is interested in
increasing the use of national currencies in the trade. She also stressed that members of the BRICS group
do not cooperate against third parties, even in financial matters.
In addition, Algerian expert Kharief noted that the fact that India and China are joining forces within the BRICS "with a future economic and political vision," reflects the
failure of the model dominated by the United States and the institutions that emerged from the Bretton Woods agreements.
He also emphasized that the need for a new global deal, suggested by BRICS, is undeniable as "there has to be a future for everyone."
Alternative to Unjust System & Insecurity
According to Ngom, Africa would benefit from the alternative global system that BRICS advances as it will likely facilitate the African development.
"BRICS is a kind of alternative to a system that has never allowed African countries to develop," the expert argued.
He also stressed that Africans are primarily interested in the growth of their countries and not in supporting one group or another.
However, Patel noted that there are problems in Africa that are hindering the growth of the continent in the context of the development of the Global South. For instance, he named crises in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Niger and Ethiopia, as those that are diverting Africa's attention from development issues.
"The key challenge for the African continent is the many conflicts plaguing Africa – DRC, Sudan , Niger, Ethiopia. These many conflicts taking back African peace agenda and also being a new ground for a new kind of Cold War. Hence peace and development a priority and new approaches to peace and sustainable development is required," the researcher said.
