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BRICS 2025 Summit: African Voices Shape Agenda on Global Reform, Trade, and Sovereignty
BRICS 2025 Summit: African Voices Shape Agenda on Global Reform, Trade, and Sovereignty
Sputnik Africa
The 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro concluded with a strong emphasis on multilateral reform, intra-bloc trade, and African agency. This episode of... 11.07.2025, Sputnik Africa
2025-07-11T11:05+0200
2025-07-11T11:05+0200
2025-07-16T11:06+0200
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BRICS 2025 Summit: African Voices Shape Agenda on Global Reform, Trade, and Sovereignty
Sputnik Africa
The 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro concluded with a strong emphasis on multilateral reform, intra-bloc trade, and African agency. This episode of AfroVerdict features exclusive interviews with key stakeholders from South Africa and Ethiopia.
Ben Joubert, South Africa’s Sous-Sherpa to BRICS, detailed the intensive negotiations behind the 126-paragraph Rio de Janeiro Declaration, noting Africa’s prominent role.Joubert highlighted unified African positions, particularly on UN Security Council reform, where South Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia pushed for alignment with the Ezulwini Consensus, demanding permanent African representation.On currency usage in trade, Joubert clarified BRICS’ focus on local currency trade, citing potential savings for Africa. New Development Bank’s Expanding RoleThe New Development Bank (NDB), described by Joubert as BRICS’ "most significant institutional achievement," continues expanding. He emphasized its climate resilience projects, including a regional initiative in Lesotho benefiting the Southern African region.Ethiopia’s Ambassador Sums Up Summit OutcomesEthiopia's Ambassador to Brazil Leulseged Tadese Abebe called the summit "very successful," stressing BRICS’ commitment to multilateralism, UN reform, and climate action. Key deliverables included:Trade, Tariffs, and African IndustrializationElias Monage, President of South Africa’s Black Business Council and BRICS Business Council member, addressed Trump’s post-summit tariffs on BRICS nations, calling them a sign of US "panic." Monage outlined BRICS’ push for local currency trade and beneficiation of Africa’s critical minerals, rejecting Western extraction models. Sovereignty vs. InterdependenceHe also dismissed concerns over sovereignty clashes, framing BRICS as a post-colonial partnership. Unlike the current setup in BRICS, the West continues to intend to " hold the continent hostage" in order to subdue the continent into dependency. By 2035, he envisions tighter economic integration, mirroring Agenda 2063.Final TakeawaysThe summit reinforced BRICS as a Global South counterbalance, with Africa playing a decisive role in shaping its future—from financial autonomy to AI governance. To hear more about the 2025 BRICS Summit or business within BRICS, listen to the full episode of AfroVerdict, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on Telegram.► You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, Pocket Casts, Deezer, Podcast Addict and Afripods.► Check out all the episodes of AfroVerdict.
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russia-africa cooperation, donald trump, south africa, ethiopia, brics, new development bank (ndb), united nations (un), brics summit 2025, brics plus, brics summit, trade, african continental free trade area (afcfta), free trade agreement, free trade, de-dollarization, local currency, alternative currency, currency, podcasts, brazil, аудио
russia-africa cooperation, donald trump, south africa, ethiopia, brics, new development bank (ndb), united nations (un), brics summit 2025, brics plus, brics summit, trade, african continental free trade area (afcfta), free trade agreement, free trade, de-dollarization, local currency, alternative currency, currency, podcasts, brazil, аудио
BRICS 2025 Summit: African Voices Shape Agenda on Global Reform, Trade, and Sovereignty
11:05 11.07.2025 (Updated: 11:06 16.07.2025) Viktor Anokhin
Producer, Podcast host
The 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro concluded with a strong emphasis on multilateral reform, intra-bloc trade, and African agency. This episode of AfroVerdict features exclusive interviews with key stakeholders from South Africa and Ethiopia.
Ben Joubert, South Africa’s Sous-Sherpa to BRICS, detailed the intensive negotiations behind the 126-paragraph Rio de Janeiro Declaration, noting Africa’s prominent role.
"Africa is very prominent in this summit... We should all be proud that we reached a substantive declaration showing Africa’s hand," he said.
Joubert highlighted unified African positions, particularly on UN Security Council reform, where South Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia pushed for alignment with the Ezulwini Consensus, demanding permanent African representation.
"We saw how the African countries, South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia stood together to give shape to that specific paragraph in paragraph 6 in the declaration, but then also how the African common position on the reform of the Security Council came out," he noted.
On currency usage in trade, Joubert clarified BRICS’ focus on local currency trade, citing potential savings for Africa.
"Trading in our own currencies can save the continent $5 billion per annum in transaction costs [...] We can all use that money rather to go into our social and economic programs."
New Development Bank’s Expanding Role
The New Development Bank (NDB), described by Joubert as BRICS’ "most significant institutional achievement," continues expanding. He emphasized its climate resilience projects, including a regional initiative in Lesotho benefiting the Southern African region.
Ethiopia’s Ambassador Sums Up Summit Outcomes
Ethiopia's Ambassador to Brazil Leulseged Tadese Abebe called the summit "very successful," stressing BRICS’ commitment to multilateralism, UN reform, and climate action.
"BRICS is about solutions. [Its members] have reaffirmed again and again the importance of reforming the existing international system, particularly its decision-making system, is outdated," he said.
Key deliverables included:
A commitment to prioritizing an inclusive AI governance system;
Commitments to climate finance and health equity, including pandemic preparedness.
Trade, Tariffs, and African Industrialization
Elias Monage, President of South Africa’s Black Business Council and BRICS Business Council member, addressed Trump’s post-summit tariffs on BRICS nations, calling them a sign of US "panic."
"The Americans feel left out... but tariffs won’t stop BRICS growth," he argued, pointing to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a counterweight.
Monage outlined BRICS’ push for local currency trade and beneficiation of Africa’s critical minerals, rejecting Western extraction models.
Sovereignty vs. Interdependence
He also dismissed concerns over sovereignty clashes, framing BRICS as a post-colonial partnership. Unlike the current setup in BRICS, the West continues to intend to " hold the continent hostage" in order to subdue the continent into dependency.
"We [BRICS] are basically allowing countries then to do their own things, to be independent, not to be pigeonholed by others. And as a result of that, you are then building a pure and genuine sovereignty of the countries within BRICS," Monage said.
By 2035, he envisions tighter economic integration, mirroring Agenda 2063.
The summit reinforced BRICS as a Global South counterbalance, with Africa playing a decisive role in shaping its future—from financial autonomy to AI governance.
As Joubert noted, "Diversity makes consensus harder but more rewarding."
To hear more about the 2025 BRICS Summit or business within BRICS, listen to the full episode of AfroVerdict, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.
In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on
Telegram.
► Check out all the episodes of AfroVerdict. 
