South African President Cyril Ramaphosa affirmed the country’s commitment to maintaining its independence from global power struggles during a State of the Nation address on Sunday. As South Africa prepared to host the BRICS summit, a gathering of major emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, Ramaphosa emphasized that the nation would not be coerced into aligning with any specific global power.
The upcoming BRICS summit, to be held in Johannesburg, aims to bolster the influence of these emerging economies and advocate for a shift in the global geopolitical landscape. The spotlight on South Africa’s hosting of the event has brought attention to its relationship with Russia, particularly due to its decision not to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ramaphosa stated that South Africa would not be swayed by overt support for political or ideological preferences. He indicated that the nation had resisted pressures to align with specific global powers or influential blocs of nations. This stance reinforces South Africa’s commitment to maintaining an independent diplomatic course.
Leaders from BRICS member countries, including China’s President Xi Jinping, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, are expected to participate in the summit. Russia will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and President Vladimir Putin will attend virtually. Putin’s decision to abstain from in-person attendance stems from his status as the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, which South Africa is theoretically obliged to enforce.
The BRICS nations collectively account for approximately a quarter of the global economy, and the interest in joining the group has surged in recent times. Over 40 countries have expressed interest in becoming members, with 23 submitting formal applications. Aspiring members include Argentina, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Cuba, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia.
South Africa, which supports expanding BRICS membership, envisions the group as a platform for a diverse range of nations with varying political systems that share the common goal of fostering a more balanced global order. The notion of expanding BRICS membership was introduced last year and has gained traction, as highlighted by South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor.
