BRICS is committed to challenging the global dominance of Western powers and promoting a multipolar world, South Africa's BRICS Sherpa, Xolisa Mfundiso Mabhongo, told Sputnik Africa.
"BRICS member states in the United Nations and in many other international fora have always expressed a view that unilateral coercive measures are detrimental to the development of the countries that are affected by them, and therefore they should be rescinded," Mabhongo said on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan.
He pointed out that BRICS nations have consistently opposed sanctions, especially when these measures undermine development and sovereignty.
Reflecting on the bloc’s stance on United Nations Security Council reforms, Mabhongo noted that BRICS is gaining political momentum.
“The countries of BRICS, if you look at all of them individually but also collectively, they do represent a large part of humanity. A large part of the seven billion people. Therefore, their voice ought to be taken seriously,” he remarked.
This collective influence, according to Mabhongo, is crucial for pushing reforms at the UN and other international bodies.
Mabhongo also emphasized the historical need for reform in global institutions, particularly to support African nations.
"There is a need for reform. It's an historical injustice that these institutions remain like this—unreformed, not properly representative of the world as it is now," the sherpa said.
BRICS, he explained, serves as a platform for advocating the interests of African and other developing nations, ensuring they have a stronger voice in global governance.
Finally, addressing the West’s narrative of Russia's supposed isolation, Mabhongo countered by pointing to the widespread interest in BRICS from countries across the globe.
"Having so many countries coming to a BRICS summit shows firstly the importance of BRICS. It shows the attractiveness of BRICS as a formation, but it shows that countries are looking for alternatives in this multipolar world," the official stated.
According to Mabhongo, BRICS offers these nations a chance to align with a movement that better represents their interests and aspirations.