PRETORIA, Sept 9 (NNN-SANEWS) — South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on BRICS nations to take the lead in strengthening multilateralism and reshaping global trade to better serve developing economies.
Speaking at the virtual Extraordinary BRICS Leaders’ Meeting convened by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Monday, Ramaphosa said the world was undergoing “seismic shifts” in trade and geopolitics that carried both opportunities and risks.
The extraordinary meeting was held to discuss current global geopolitical and economic issues that affect the state of the world and its multilateral system.
“We are witnessing seismic shifts in global trade that present both challenges and opportunities in the re-ordering of the global economy.
“There is a shift from a unipolar to a multipolar world. This moment is marked by intensifying global competition and growing geopolitical tensions,” he told BRICS leaders.
Ramaphosa warned that unilateral tariff actions were creating an “increasingly protectionist environment” that posed “great hardships and danger for the countries of the Global South.”
“The uncertainty of the new trading regime has already negatively affected employment levels in my own country South Africa and is an obstacle to our economic growth.
“We are therefore supportive of meaningful BRICS initiatives that improve the resilience of our economies as BRICS countries and those of the Global South and also strengthen the global multilateral system,” he said.
President Ramaphosa also urged BRICS to strengthen trade partnerships with Africa, Asia, the Gulf, the Americas and Europe while supporting reform of multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN).
“South Africa remains firm that the multilateral trading system with the WTO and the United Nations at their core must be preserved until all member states are able to reach their developmental goals,” he said.
The President stressed Africa’s potential in the global economy, saying: “Our vision is of Africa that is the beating heart of global trade engaging the world not as a mere exporter of raw materials, but as a creator of value, a connector of regions and a catalyst for shared prosperity.”
He reaffirmed South Africa’s support for WTO reforms, noting that developing economies remain locked into the lower end of global value chains.
On the global stage, President Ramaphosa called for urgent reform of the United Nations to ensure it is “inclusive, representative and fit for purpose,” adding that BRICS should play a critical role in strengthening the multilateral system.
Turning to ongoing conflicts, the President reiterated South Africa’s backing for peace efforts in Gaza.
“That is why South Africa supports the call by Brazil for a ceasefire in Gaza, a two-state solution and self-determination for the Palestinian people,” he said.
He also announced that under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, the country had launched an Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Wealth Inequality, chaired by Nobel Laureate Professor Joseph Stiglitz. The committee will deliver the first-ever G20 report on global inequality, its impact, and solutions for leaders.
Looking ahead, President Ramaphosa said BRICS should move “from crisis management to strategic action” by finalising and implementing the BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy 2030.
“For South Africa, a BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy that contains a meaningful way forward on addressing the imbalanced structure of BRICS trade would send a clear message to the world that all BRICS members are committed to mutually beneficial trade that addresses the needs and interests of all its members,” he said.
He urged BRICS to show leadership through cooperation and consensus.
“Let us demonstrate how consensus is built through negotiation and not through coercion. Compromise and trade-offs are the foundation of mutually beneficial outcomes that tangibly improve the lives of our citizens,” he said.
President Ramaphosa concluded his statement by calling for unity among BRICS nations.
“Let us undertake all these important actions together, in a spirit of partnership and solidarity,” he said. — NNN-SANEWS
