The group of emerging economies BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) began their XV Summit of Heads of State and Government this Tuesday in Johannesburg with a economic forum which was attended by the bloc’s leaders at the Sandton Convention Center, financial district of the South African city. In this first meeting, the leaders of each country have discussed ways to extend their political and economic influence globallyand the “de-dollarization” of their economies, among other aspects.
The event was attended by the presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva; China, Xi Jinping; and South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa; as well as the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. While the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has intervened by videoconference due to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against him for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. If Putin – represented at the summit by his foreign minister – Sergei Lavrov- had set foot in Johannesburg, South Africa, as a member state of the ICC, was obliged to proceed with his arrest.
Shortly before the meeting began, Lula da Silva, He assured that the bloc does not represent a “counterpoint” to either the G-7, the group of the seven most developed countries, or the G-20, which includes developed and emerging nations. Instead, the Brazilian president has defended his role in the world dashboard. “We (the BRICS) are important in the global debate, sitting at the negotiating table, on an equal footing with the European Union and USA“, stressed the Brazilian president. Some statements to which the White House has responded that it does not consider the nations that make up the bloc as “geopolitical rivals“. For his part, Xi Jinping assured shortly before the meeting that the countries of the group should “strengthen the strategic cooperationpractice true multilateralism and promote the representation of the countries of the global south”.
“de-dollarization”
Putin has intervened in the meeting telematically with a pre-recorded message and has ensured that the member countries of the block cooperate on the principles of “equality, support for the association and respect for the interests of each one.” “This is the essence of the strategic course oriented towards the future of our associationa course that responds to the aspirations of the majority of the world community, the so-called global majority”, Putin assured. In his speech, the Russian president reiterated that his government does not rule out resuming the agreement to export grain from Ukraine, suspended since mid-July, although he has insisted that he will only do so if the “obligations” towards the Russian side are “really” respected.
One of the main issues that was expected to be addressed this Tuesday at the summit was the “de-dollarization” of the economies of the member countries. In this regard, Lula has defended adopting a “benchmark” currency in the block of emerging economies that does not replace the currencies of the member countries. At first, there had been speculation about the possibility of discussing the creation of a common currency for the territories, an idea that the BRICS leaders were not very enthusiastic about.
Already on Wednesday, the leaders will meet in a plenary session in which they are expected to discuss issues such as the expansion of the bloc. Some 40 countries have expressed interest in joining that club, according to the Government of South Africa, which in 2010 led the first expansion of the block and this year holds the rotating presidency of the group.
group expansion
“The expansion of the BRICS has been largely of public domain this year (…). Leaders are expected to speak out on this and it will have a significant impact not only on the BRICS, but on the Global South and the global community as a whole,” South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa Anil said today. sooklal.
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This Thursday, the closing day of the summit, the Dialogue of Leaders of Friends of the BRICS will take place, in which the leaders of the bloc will exchange ideas with counterparts from other countries. South Africa has invited 67 leaders from the Global South to the event, including the presidents of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, and Bolivia, Luis Arce. Also invited are 20 dignitaries from international organizations, such as the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, and the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
A large presence of African leaders is expected in honor of the summit’s motto: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism.”