South Africa Sees BRICS as Key to Reforming Global Governance
South Africa's envoy says BRICS must push for inclusive global governance and solutions to conflicts and food and energy crises.
As leaders gather in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, South Africa has outlined its expectations for the grouping, emphasizing the need for dialogue to resolve global conflicts and for concrete action on food and energy security.
In remarks ahead of the summit, South African High Commissioner Anil Sookal highlighted the grouping's role in a world he described as increasingly divided. He noted that while the Global South represents a vast majority of the world's population, it often lacks a voice on critical issues. Sookal stressed that BRICS should send a powerful message advocating for peace and a more equitable global community.
A central theme of South Africa's position is the urgent need to reform global governance structures. Sookal pointed to the paralysis of the UN Security Council and the lack of representation for entire continents like Africa and Latin America as a major failing. He reiterated the long-standing call from India, Brazil, and South Africa for permanent membership in a reformed Security Council.
Sookal praised India's presidency for its continuity and its focus on resilience and sustainability. He expressed hope that the summit would produce solid positions on addressing food and energy security challenges, which he said are exacerbated by global conflicts. He cited the recent conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin as an example of efforts to find an end to the war, a conflict that impacts all nations.
The High Commissioner also spoke of India's unique standing, suggesting it enjoys trust from both the Global North and the Global South. He credited India's G20 presidency with bridging differences and noted that the world understands India has no hidden agenda.
On the subject of the upcoming BRICS presidency moving to China, Sookal described President Xi Jinping's attendance at the summit as a positive statement. He predicted that India and China will be among the world's largest economies and will need to find a way to coexist, as they have for centuries. He suggested that a thaw in relations between the two Asian powers sends a powerful message to the global community.
Addressing the impact of tariff wars, Sookal argued that such actions undermine fair trade principles but are short-lived. He noted that the pressure has pushed BRICS nations towards greater self-reliance and deeper trade with the Global South, including a faster pace of trade in local currencies. He pointed to India's expected growth of around 6.5 percent as evidence that the center of economic growth is shifting towards Asia and Africa.
On the topic of de-dollarisation, Sookal framed the move towards local currencies as a natural process rather than a deliberate aim of BRICS. He noted that the dollar's share in the IMF's basket of currencies has declined over time as the Global South rises, bringing other currencies to the fore.