By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
It was day two of the BRICS summit in Sandton, this morning, a plenary was held behind closed doors where leaders discuss the relationship between BRICS countries and the African Continent.
BRICS leaders met on Tuesday to plot the future course of the bloc of developing nations but divisions re-emerged ahead of a critical debate over a potential expansion of the group intended to boost its global clout.
They are seeking to use the summit to forge the grouping, which also includes South Africa, Brazil and India, into a counterweight to Western dominance of global institutions.
“Right now, changes in the world, in our times, and in history are unfolding in ways like never before, bringing human society to a critical juncture,” China’s President Xi Jinping said in remarks delivered at a BRICS business forum.
“The course of history will be shaped by the choices we make.”
Xi skipped the event, despite the presence there of counterparts Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
His remarks were delivered by Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, and it was not immediately clear why Xi, who had a meeting with host Ramaphosa earlier in the day, did not attend.
Comments from Brazil’s Lula pointed to a divergence of vision within the bloc, which political analysts say has long struggled to form a coherent view of its role in the global order.
“We do not want to be a counterpoint to the G7, G20 or the United States,” Brazil’s Lula said on Tuesday during a social media broadcast from Johannesburg. “We just want to organise ourselves.”
Beyond the enlargement question, boosting the use of member states’ local currencies in trade and financial transactions to lessen dependency of the U.S. dollar is also on the summit agenda.
“The objective, irreversible process of de-dollarization of our economic ties is gaining momentum,” Russia’s Putin said in a pre-recorded statement.
Russia’s economy is grappling with Western sanctions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Putin is wanted under an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, and is being represented at the summit by his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.
South African organisers say there will be no discussions however of a common BRICS currency, an idea floated by Brazil as an alternative to dollar-dependence.
Ramaphosa has used the occasion of the 15th BRICS Summit Open Plenary to reiterate the bloc’s commitment to the principles of solidarity, sustainable development and an equitable world order.
He said the BRICS partnership must be harnessed to drive inclusive global economic recovery.
The South African Statesman said it remains a matter of concern that global financial and payment systems are “increasingly being used as instruments of geopolitical contestation”.
“Global economic recovery relies on predictable global payment systems and the smooth operation of banking, supply chains, trade, tourism and financial flows.
“We will continue discussions on practical measures to facilitate trade and investment flows through the increased use of local currencies, “Ramaphosa said on the second day of the summit.
BRICS countries, Xi said, should practice true multilateralism, uphold the UN-centered international system, support and strengthen the WTO-centered multilateral trading system, and reject the attempt to create small circles or exclusive blocs.
“We need to fully leverage the role of the New Development Bank, push forward reform of the international financial and monetary systems, and increase the representation and voice of developing countries,” he added.
Ramaphosa also said the bloc was “deeply concerned about conflicts across the world that continue to cause great suffering and hardship”.
“As South Africa, our position remains that diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter are necessary for the peaceful and just resolution of conflicts.”
Lula da Silva used his speech on the second day of the BRICS Summit to call on the bloc’s other leaders to help secure an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
For most of Wednesday, delegates at the summit were locked behind closed doors for discussions on the possible expansion of the membership and other critical matters.
In his address, Da Silva warned that the 2023 summit is faced with more complex scenarios than the previous gatherings.
He also criticised the UN Security Council over its handling of other, less high profile, conflicts around the world.
“The Ukranian war shows the limitations of the UN Security Council. Many other conflicts and crises do not have the same attention, and the BRICS is the forum to discuss the main issues that affect peace and world security.
“We cannot bypass the treaty. The main conflict of today that is happening in Ukraine has a global effect,” said Da Silva.
“We believe that it is possible that a growing number of countries amongst the BRICS countries also are engaged in direct contact with Moscow and Kiev. We do not underestimate the efforts to reach peace. We believe everyone suffers from the consequences of the war. The most vulnerable populations in the developing populations are the ones that suffer.
“The quest for peace is a collective obligation and an imperative for a fair and sustainable development. The BRICS should act as a force for understanding and cooperation. Our willingness is expressed in the contribution given by China, South Africa and my own country on the resolution of the conflict, “he said.
In response to remarks by Da Silva, Putin blamed attempts by “some countries” to preserve their global hegemony that led to the crisis in Ukraine.
“It started when an anti-constitutional government coup took place in this country with the help of the Western countries,” Putin said via a video link.
“This was followed by the unleashing of a war against people who refused to accept this coup. It was a cruel war, a war of extermination, which lasted for eight years.
“Russia decided to side with people who are fighting for their culture, their traditions, language and future. Stopping the war unleashed by the West and its satellites in Ukraine against the people of Donbas is the only thing that defines our actions in Ukraine,” explained Putin.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of SABC.