BRICS Summit’s Emphasis Being Firmed Up for BRICS Leaders
Aug. 8, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor announced at a press conference Aug. 7 that the foreign ministers and their colleagues from the five BRICS member nations are firming up recommendations which will be forwarded to their national leaders, on critical questions at the Aug. 22-24 BRICS summit in Johannesburg. With respect to expansion of the BRICS—officially 23 nations have applied for membership—Pandor reported that criteria for BRICS membership were being planned.
Another major issue is that of developing a non-dollar common currency for use in trade. This could allow advancing credit instruments for projects such as expanding the BRICS New Development Bank. However, even more powerful institutions, modeled on Lyndon LaRouche’s International Development Bank, proposed in 1975, will likely be needed.
At her Aug. 7 press briefing, Pandor proposed what she considers the third overarching issue of the conference, the development of Africa. Under the summit’s official theme, “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism,” the BRICS leaders would discuss how to realize its potential for “inclusive global economy recovery and sustainable development, strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships with Africa and the Global South in a multipolar world.”
In the conjuncture of the disintegration of the irredeemably bankrupt speculative trans-Atlantic financial system, this creates the basis for a “tectonic shift,” to a development-based system.
Ms. Pandor announced that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has accepted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s invitation to attend the BRICS summit. Tasnim News Agency reported today that Iran is hosting an Aug. 8 conference on “Iran and BRICS, Prospect for Cooperation.” Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated that Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov “took part in the conference” organized by of Iran’s Foreign Ministry. Also on Aug. 7, Indonesian President Joko Widodo President Joko Widodo that the government will decide on the possibility of Indonesia joining BRICS, while his Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi suggested the President would attend the summit.
Pandor disclosed that 67 other leaders from Africa and the Global South had been invited to attend and meet the BRICS leaders in an outreach session. She said that 34 had accepted thus far.
In addition, “President Cyril Ramaphosa will host His Excellency President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China on a State Visit on Tuesday, 22 August 2023,” South Africa announced yesterday.
French President Emmanuel Macron has not been invited to the BRICS summit, with Foreign Minister Pandor saying on Aug. 7: “Emmanuel Macron—No invitation issued in that regard.”
