South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, serving as the summit's chair, has extended invitations to over 60 heads of state and government from both Africa and various other developing regions across the globe to convene in Johannesburg. The summit is slated to span three days.
The summit's closing day will feature a meeting in the "Friends of BRICS" configuration. This gathering, as envisaged by South Africa, is intended to serve as a platform for the Global South, bolstering its influence on the world stage and advocating for a comprehensive overhaul of the entire international relations framework. Simultaneously, the BRICS consortium, in the perspective of South Africa, is positioned to lead the Global South and guide the trajectory towards the establishment of a more equitable global order.
Russia's participation
Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver his address at the summit, albeit remotely. While he won't be physically present in Johannesburg, he will actively participate via video link. The Kremlin has underscored that despite this virtual arrangement, his involvement in the summit will be comprehensive.
South African officials, representing the host nation, have also affirmed that Putin will be fully engaged in all sessions and discussions convened by the heads of state. They highlighted that participating through digital means is not an uncommon practice and recalled the precedence of previous online BRICS meetings and sessions in recent times.
The decision to adopt this virtual format was reached collaboratively among all five BRICS leaders. This approach takes into consideration Putin's current circumstances, including the recent issuance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on allegations of "illegal deportation" of Ukrainian children. Moscow has categorically denied these accusations and stressed its non-recognition of ICC jurisdiction, rendering its decisions null and void.
Anil Sooklal, Ambassador-at-Large for Asia and BRICS at the South African Foreign Ministry, as well as South Africa's Sherpa to BRICS, indicated that Russia sought to avoid complicating matters for South Africa with regard to the arrest warrant.
Putin himself expressed confidence in the high-level success of the BRICS meeting during the Russia-Africa summit in late July. He assured that Moscow would take all necessary measures to facilitate this outcome. Subsequently, in discussions with journalists, the Russian president conveyed that his presence in his own country currently holds greater importance than attending the BRICS summit. He highlighted his continuous communication with all BRICS partners.
Fostering a culture of dialogue within BRICS
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will personally represent the Russian Federation in Johannesburg. According to Maria Zakharova, the official spokesperson of the Russian diplomatic ministry, Moscow has frequently utilized this participation approach in summits. On July 20, the Russian minister engaged in discussions with the foreign ministers of other BRICS countries, focusing on summit preparations in South Africa and the continuous development and reinforcement of the five-member alliance's strategic partnership.
In an article featured in the South African magazine Ubuntu, published prior to the summit, Lavrov underscored the BRICS nations' capacity to find common ground and tackle intricate challenges through a culture of dialogue. He emphasized that the strategic partnership among the BRICS countries is gaining significant momentum.
Following South Africa's tenure, Russia will assume the BRICS chairmanship, with the upcoming summit slated to be hosted in Kazan. Deputy Foreign Minister and BRICS Sherpa Sergei Ryabkov anticipates a broader participation scope in the Kazan summit, suggesting that the composition of the attendees could surpass the current five participants.
Strengthening BRICS' global position
According to UN experts, the BRICS countries collectively represent 42% of the world's population, 27% of the global GDP, and around 29% of international trade. Notably, the BRICS nations are rapidly solidifying their economic influence, evolving into a pivotal structure within the global system of international relations at an unprecedented pace, giving rise to a formidable sphere of influence.
This year, the International Monetary Fund's assessment indicates that the BRICS nations have exceeded the Group of Seven (G7) countries in terms of GDP based on purchasing power parity, a significant metric for developmental evaluation. The BRICS economies together amount to $56 trillion in this regard, while the G7, which encompasses the United States, stands at $52 trillion.
The ascent to economic leadership on the global stage is now expanding into the realm of geopolitics, with a discernible role attributed to Africa in the crystallization of this new locus of influence. As analysts within South Africa emphasize, the rapidly advancing continent contributes significantly through its burgeoning population, abundant natural resources, and commitment to progressive growth and prosperity.
For both BRICS and Africa, a central objective is to forge a path towards multipolarity and the establishment of a fresh security framework within the global order. As noted by the South African Foreign Ministry in dialogue with TASS, "BRICS stands as a primary architect in laying the foundation for a new, more equitable, and secure world order." The focus is on cultivating a world order that is more predictable, inclusive, just, and sustainable.
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor underlined the significance of this role in the lead-up to the summit's commencement, stressing its objective to usher in a renewed and more equitable structure for international relations.
Summit agenda
The BRICS leaders have structured their discussions at the current summit around three distinct blocks of issues, as outlined by the organizational bodies of the meeting to TASS. These focal areas encompass strengthening and broadening economic and financial cooperation, enhancing political and security coordination, and directing attention towards humanitarian matters while facilitating diverse forms of interaction between the member states' populations at the social and cultural levels. A core belief of the BRICS leaders is that the foundational principles of their relations are mutual respect, equality, transparency, and the pursuit of consensus. These principles are also envisioned to extend to all international organizations, with the United Nations being of primary significance.
The summit will address a series of concerns shared by the BRICS leaders. A notable topic of discussion revolves around the utilization of unilateral restrictive measures by certain countries, measures that are deemed inconsistent with the principles outlined in the UN Charter. The approach of employing sanctions is observed to have a detrimental impact on international relations and the collective ability of humanity to address the global challenges it encounters.
Energy considerations occupy a prominent place on the summit's agenda. As preparations for the gathering in Johannesburg revealed, energy security is recognized as an essential cornerstone for economic progress, societal stability, and the well-being of people across the world. In this context, ensuring stable and reliable energy resource supplies to the global markets is underscored as pivotal.
Additionally, the summit's agenda encompasses discussions concerning counterterrorism and the fight against extremism. The documents put forward for consideration emphasize the necessity of adopting a comprehensive approach to tackling terrorism, one that does not tolerate double standards. Within this framework, specific attention is highlighted for social media platforms, which are exploited by terrorist groups to recruit new members and incite violence.
Challenges of expansion
The significant growth in BRICS' global influence has prompted numerous countries to express a desire to become part of the group. Recently, the BRICS association has encountered a situation where over 50 countries from around the world have persistently expressed their interest in joining the coalition, as stated by Sooklal in an interview with TASS.
"The task of formulating the concept, principles, standards, criteria, and procedures for BRICS expansion was established in 2022 by the leaders of the member countries during their summit under China's presidency," - he explained. - "There is a firm determination among the member countries' leaders that BRICS will indeed expand."
Since January, BRICS Sherpas have been working on shaping the expansion concept and its guiding principles, Sooklal added.
This concept was presented for consideration at the Johannesburg summit. In anticipation of the summit's commencement, the South African foreign minister disclosed that 22 countries had officially submitted applications to join BRICS. This list includes Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Nigeria, the State of Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Vietnam. "The ultimate decision on the matter of BRICS enlargement will be made by the leaders attending this summit," she emphasized.
BRICS single currency - timing not ripe yet
Over the past few months, BRICS has been engaged in extensive deliberations regarding the prospective launch of a single currency for the group. However, as of now, no definitive decision has been reached on this matter, according to a spokesperson from the South African foreign ministry who spoke to TASS. The endeavor to establish a BRICS single currency is still in the preliminary stages of exploration, the spokesperson clarified. This issue is currently under discussion within BRICS in its conceptual form.
In parallel, Sooklal indicated that the topic of a single currency for BRICS is being evaluated by the group's experts. "But before pursuing a single currency, a foundation must be established within BRICS," - he stated. - "This foundation entails increased utilization of national currencies by BRICS member nations for mutual trade and investment. Agreements to facilitate trade in national currencies among BRICS states already exist, and we are committed to their realization."
Simultaneously, Sooklal emphasized that South Africa, in its role as the BRICS chair, places priority on the reform of the global financial structure.
Within South Africa, there's an inclination to consider it premature to directly challenge the dominance of the US dollar. Pandor acknowledged that discussions are underway globally, including within BRICS countries, regarding strategies to lessen reliance on the dollar. She clarified that these discussions are not solely aimed at undermining the dollar but rather at reinforcing the standing of alternative currencies.
Challenge of consolidating Global South position
On the final day of the summit, August 24, the BRICS-Africa Dialogue and the BRICS Plus Friends of BRICS Dialogue are set to convene. President Ramaphosa has extended invitations to the leaders of 67 countries from the Global South to gather in Johannesburg. Additionally, twenty prominent figures who lead international organizations and associations within the Global South have also received invitations. Represented in the summit will be the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Group of Seventy Seven, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is slated to partake in the summit as well, emphasizing the urgency of combatting climate change and reforming the global financial framework in his addresses.
South Africa is dedicated to strengthening the stance of the Global South and, under the auspices of BRICS leadership, introducing comprehensive reform to the entire framework of international relations, reports SABC local media group. The outcome of South Africa's endeavors as the current BRICS chair, in conjunction with the topic of expansion, remains one of the main uncertainties of the impending summit. However, answers to these questions will emerge during the course of this week's events.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: FAS
Based on materials from TASS