We are not in competition with G7, says Pandor ahead of Brics summit

South Africa's minister of international relations and cooperation Naledi Pandor says the Brics bloc is not competing with the large economies of G7 countries. Instead, it is fast cementing its own place in the geopolitical and geoeconomic space.

Pandor made the remarks as South Africa hosts the 15th Brics Summit in Johannesburg, which at least 60 heads of state are expected to attend.

China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's Lula da Silva and foreign minister of Russia Sergei Lavrov have already touched down on South African soil, while India's Narendra Modi is expected to arrive on Tuesday afternoon.

The summit takes place amid conversations that the Brics bloc establish itself as a direct rival to the G7.

Brics is a conglomeration of emerging markets and developing countries made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, while the G7 is made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and US.

The Brics summit is expected to chart a way forward for emerging economies, with discussions around moving away from trading with the dollar, and is likely to admit more countries.

At least 20 countries have shown interest in joining the bloc including Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.

Brics accounts for at least 42% of the world's population and about 30% of global GDP and 20% of international trade.

It is expected that with the expected expansion and de-dollarisation, Brics could surpass the global GDP contribution of the G7 countries. Reports suggest Brics accounts for nearly one-third of world economic activity and has already surpassed the G7.

Pandor has, however, maintained that the bloc is not in competition. “We are not in some form of competition with G7. We wish to establish our own place in the world and are doing so rapidly,” she said.

She said Brics was more concerned with ensuring that emerging and developing countries play a significant role in the global economy and geopolitics.

“Our vision of Brics is a partnership of emerging markets and developing countries providing global leadership and serving as a catalyst for sustained and mutually beneficial global growth and sustainable development as well as driving inclusion of Africa and the Global South in the world’s systems in their widest definition,” said Pandor.

Brics, she said, “will continue to be responsive to the needs and concerns of the broader South while ensuring we don’t leave African continent behind”.

“We believe in inclusiveness and will work with all in the global community. We seek to build a more just and equitable multipolar world. Brics has remained firm in our insistence on the reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more representative, effective and efficient, and to increase the representation of developing countries,” she said.

The summit will also discuss modernising the UN with a view, among others, of removing the veto power permanent member states such as the US have in the Security Council.

“The UN must remain the centrepiece of multilateralism and be modernised to make it fit-for-purpose and more effective, agile, action-orientated, forward-looking, as well as inclusive and representative of current geopolitical relations and the international community,” she said.

“How is it possible that Africa is not represented permanently in the UN Security Council, or India or Brazil? How is that possible?”

The interest, Pandor said, from other countries to join Brics was a sign that the bloc was “on to something positive”.

“Brics has been a catalyst for positive change in our polarised world. It is therefore not surprising that the Global South identifies with the values and vision espoused by Brics. This is evident in the significant number of countries from the Global South wanting to become full members of Brics,” she said.

“This interest is a vote of confidence in the leadership that Brics continues to provide in addressing the key challenges of the Global South. If no one wanted to join it would mean maybe the forum is of no significance, but the fact that they want to join means something is happening there.”

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