‘We seek to change the rules’ – Ramaphosa says Brics is on a path to alter global affairs

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated South Africa’s “non-aligned” policy, saying that participants in the upcoming Brics summit are all seeking a change for fair global systems.

Ramaphosa on Sunday night addressed the nation on the country’s foreign policy and the crucial upcoming Brics summit to be held in Johannesburg next week.

Brics is made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

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Changing world rules

The summit, billed to be the most significant in Brics’ history, will have a bearing on South Africa’s relationships with other countries and its position globally.

“Our world has become increasingly complex and fractured as it is increasingly polarised into competing camps.

“Multilateralism is being replaced by the actions of different power blocs, all of which we trade with, invest with, and whose technology we use,” he said.

In order to work from an equal and fair footing, Ramaphosa added, government continues to advocate for open and rules-based global governance, trade and financial system.

“It must be a system that does not depend on the exercise of power or unilateralism, but by the advancement of the interests of the people of the world.

“It is in this rules base system that we seek to advance African prosperity and industrialisation.

“We seek to change the rules to be fairer but ultimately, we want to promote an open system of economic and political relations.”

‘No to domination’

Ramaphosa referred to the Cold War years when the world was split between the Soviet Union and the West.

He said it was during this era that many African countries were undermined because of their stance and alignment with the world’s superpowers.

This has forced South Africa to seek cooperation with other countries than being dominated by others, said the President.

“While some of our detractors prefer overt support for their political and ideological choices, we will not be drawn into a contest between global powers.

“Instead, our country strives to work with all countries for global peace and development.

“It is for this reason that South Africa is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.”

‘Supporting the oppressed’

Additionally, said Ramaphosa, non-alignment does not mean that mean neutrality on matters of principle and national interest.

“Our non-aligned position exists alongside our active support for the struggles of the oppressed and marginalised in different parts of the world.

“We have always believed that the freedom we won – and the international solidarity from which we benefited – imposes a duty on us to support the struggles of those who continue to experience colonialism and racial oppression.

“That is why we will continue to support the struggles of the people of Palestine and Western Sahara.”

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He further announced that South Africa will hold the European Union-South Africa summit later this year to promote investment and trade.

The Brics summit has attracted more than 40 countries who are seeking to join the bloc. This has heightened debate on a Brics Plus that would incorporate more countries.

They include Saudi Arabia, Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

More than 30 heads of African states and the United Nations Secretary-general António Guterres will attend the summit.

Russia’s delegates will be led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after President Vladimir Putin’s decision not to attend in lieu of the ICC arrest warrant hanging over his head.

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