Mbete’s plan to launch Brics Parliamentary Forum gets the nod

The member countries of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (Brics) bloc are expanding their relationship beyond the current political platform of states to their parliamentary level with the planned official launch of a forum of parliamentarians that will help to oversee matters of common interest affecting the people of these countries.

Brics parliamentarians, in an initiative from South Africa, gave the go-ahead that their current forum of parliamentarians be formalised and be officially established by March 2019.

South Africa’s National Assembly is expected to play host to the formal launch of the Brics Parliamentary Forum (Brics PF). The idea, proposed by South Africa’s National Assembly Speaker, Baleka Mbete, got the nod from fellow Brics parliamentarians in their meeting currently under way in Geneva, Switzerland.

Mbete is the current chair of the informal Brics forum of parliamentarians. As chair, Mbete convened the meeting of Brics parliamentarians at the Kempinski Hotel in Geneva. There, they dealt with a draft protocol for the establishment of the Brics PF.

“As the current chairperson of the Brics forum of parliamentarians, South Africa believes it is crucial for the Brics parliamentarians to formalise their collaboration through the establishment of the Brics PF, to help foster a more inclusive, just and better world,” Mbete said in a statement issued by parliament.

Mbete said much needed to be done to translate the ideals that inspired Brics parliamentarians to work closer together on matters of common interest. She said their aim was to advance a better quality of life for their respective people through, among other things, reducing poverty and inequality among the nations of the world.

“The time has come for the Brics parliamentarians to be at the forefront of economic partnerships, peacekeeping efforts, engendered transformation and to ensure better health status of the people of the Brics countries.”

The idea was warmly welcomed by speakers from member countries, with various speakers taking turns to cherish the initiative.

“The Brics parliamentarians agreed to appoint focal persons from each parliament who would facilitate consultations on the shared draft protocol and prepare for a meeting planned for Brics parliaments for March 2019,” the statement issued from Geneva said.

Over the past decade the Brics parliamentarians have been meeting on the sidelines of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assemblies.

“In their standing meeting organised to coincide with the 139th Assembly of the IPU, the Brics parliamentarian shared a more common position of, among other things, safeguarding and strengthening multilateral governance structures against the encroaching unilateralism emerging from some countries of the world,” the statement added.

ericn@citizen.co.za

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