Africa needs to strengthen its global presence and autonomy through the BRICS bloc, particularly in response to global political and economic challenges, Ayanda Holo, President of the BRICS Africa Channel, told Sputnik Africa.
Speaking on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Holo addressed the pressing issue of sanctions imposed on BRICS members, emphasizing their broader consequences for the African continent.
“Stop the sanctions because they’re not only hurting one country; I mean, they really hurt more countries in Africa as food prices soar, and they stop the stabilization and the growth of the countries that need the growth of the world the most,” he said.
He advocated for Africa to diversify its economic ties, reducing reliance on single-source supply chains and fostering resilience.
Speaking of the representation of African interests in international forums, Holo stressed BRICS’s role in promoting peace and security across the continent.
“Africa has been asking for silencing the guns. Two members of BRICS are in the UN Security Council. We need to see them actively playing a role, a much stronger role in ensuring that guns are silenced in Africa,” he said, adding that peace and security are essential for achieving Africa’s Vision 2063 goals of equitable, inclusive development.
Holo also called for respect and meaningful representation of Africa within the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Addressing recent proposals that African countries join the UNSC without veto power, Holo expressed his frustration.
“I have heard of the proposal of just having a representation in the UN Security Council without a veto. That just shows the lack of respect for victims; it’s humiliating,” he argued.
He warned that if the world fails to respect Africa’s voice, African youth may turn to leveraging the continent’s vast mineral resources to make themselves heard.
Furthermore, Holo celebrated the strength of diplomatic alliances within BRICS, noting Africa’s longstanding connection with Russia as a historical ally.
“People know their loyal friends. In South Africa, we normally say that we choose our friends based on our nation’s interests, and there’s no one from east to west, north and south that will make that determination of who our friends are,” he said, emphasizing Africa’s autonomy in shaping its partnerships.
In addition, the speaker emphasized the truly fraternal relations between Pretoria and Moscow, stressing that Russia is a "very close friend" of South Africa.
"Russia has been a very, very close friend of Africa. When it was not fashionable to do so, when people were trying to isolate Africans from fighting for their liberation, it was Russia and the sons and daughters of Russia who stood up and said, 'No.' Unfairness is unfairness; whether it happens in Moscow or Cape Town, it is still unfairness. So, Africa has a long memory," he elaborated.
During Russia’s BRICS chairmanship this year, a proposal was made to create a new cross-border payment infrastructure for members. Commenting on this, Holo noted that this system holds significant promise for trade and growth in the Global South.
“The expansion of BRICS, I think, it’s going to inform the world and teach the world that you can be as many as you are as long as you respect people’s national interests,” the channel’s head said.
Wrapping up the interview, he called for a global shift towards collaboration over competition, envisioning BRICS as a platform that aligns with Africa’s aspirations for economic independence and cooperative development.
"The expansion of BRICS [...] [is] going to inform the world and teach the world that you can be as many as you are as long as you respect people's national interests, and also as long as you respect that the world today is better off collaborating in partnerships rather than just wild, wild West competition. No, we need to collaborate more with each other," he concluded.