Amid the doom and gloom, Nigeria's former president Olusegun Obasanjo has reminded South Africa that its voice still matters.
“It is only here in South Africa where all the countries are represented and where all races of the world work and live together. There is no other country in Africa that has that uniqueness.
“That uniqueness, of course, gives South Africa a responsibility beyond Africa. A responsibility for Africa to reach out to the rest of the world. A responsibility to serve Africa in the way that the rest of the world will appreciate Africa,” said Obasanjo on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Brics Political Parties Plus Dialogue in Johannesburg’s East Rand, under the banner, “Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable growth and inclusive multilateralism”, Obasanjo told delegates the Brics family is central to the world.
Recent geopolitical shifts, including the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, have placed South Africa in the spotlight and in a predicament after the country took a non-aligned stance in the war. Tensions between South Africa and the West have escalated.
The International Criminal Court’s decision that Russian leader Vladimir Putin must be arrested should he set foot in South Africa in August has worsened global relations.
Obasanjo reminded South Africa to take a step back and remember its responsibility to the continent.
“We have all nations of the world represented but not only that, here in South Africa we have a uniqueness that no other country in Africa has, and for that, South Africa holds a special place for us in Africa, the world and all humanity.”
On how to achieve a partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable growth and inclusive multilateralism, Obasanjo said: “We have a saying in Africa that if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together. We have to go together so we can be able to go far, and that makes partnership.”
The Brics bloc family, he said, should partner at local, provincial, national, regional, continental and intercontinental levels. “We must not act in silos. We must act multilaterally and must act together.”
On sustainable development, Obasanjo said any development that does not think about tomorrow is not sustainable.
“If we only think of today for ourselves and we do not think of tomorrow for the next generation, our development will not be sustainable. We must have development that takes care of today and tomorrow.”
Obasanjo called for inclusive development and economic growth. On multilateralism, he said it was important to not only go for a unipolar world, “it must be a multipolar world, and when we have that world, we want to have unity that is necessary for the world to make progress together.
“It cannot be security for me alone, it must be security for me and you, it must be security for all and shared prosperity. That is what multilateralism is also saying.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.