BRICS Expansion Has Become 'Beacon of Hope' for Global South, President Rapamhosa Says

The expansion of BRICS has become a beacon of hope for the global South, according to the President of South Africa. The historic expansion of BRICS has become a beacon of hope for the global South, said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday at a BRICS summit meeting in narrow format.

According to him, during its existence, BRICS "has emerged as an important voice of the Global South."

"By working together, we can pave the way for a brighter future for all our peoples – and for the global community of nations," he emphasized.

The BRICS summit in Kazan opens the opportunity to unite the efforts of the member countries to build a safe and just world, Ramaphosa continued.

"We meet at a time when multilateralism is under threat. We see this 16th BRICS Summit as an opportunity to harness our collective strength to build a safer, more prosperous, and equitable world," he said.

The BRICS association is designed to ensure sustainable development for all countries and not certain groups of states, he added.

"BRICS is an inclusive formation that has the ability to change the trajectory of the Global South. To do this, we must realize the full potential of our economic partnership to ensure sustainable development for all and not just for some," Ramaphosa said.

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The president further urged the BRICS member countries to utilize the potential of the association to combat terrorism and cybercrime.

"BRICS cooperation in the field of security should promote mutual trust and foster practical cooperation. This should enable us to confront complex security challenges, including terrorism and instability in various regions, as well as new technologies like artificial intelligence and cybercrime," Ramaphosa said.

Furthermore, South Africa calls for changing trade routes to ensure more sustainable industrialization within BRICS, the South African leader said.

"We have called for the recalibration of trade routes to enable industrialization [within BRICS]," Ramaphosa said at BRICS Summit's extended meeting.

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Aside from that, South Africa is extremely concerned about the escalating situation in the Middle East that has already resulted in significant loss of life and devastation.

"The International Court of Justice has made it clear that the international community has a duty to prevent genocide by Israel. The countries of the world have a responsibility not to fund or facilitate Israel’s genocidal actions. As the UN General Assembly has now resolved, the countries of the world have a responsibility to promote the realization of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. Lasting peace and security will not be achieved until Palestinians have realized their aspirations for statehood, justice and freedom," he said.

The BRICS association was created in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia will become full members of the group. The summit in Kazan will be the first in which the new members of the association participate. Representatives from over 30 countries are expected to attend. Among the foreign leaders arriving in Kazan are China's President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Ramaphosa.