South Africa hosts the 15th BRICS Summit on 22-24 August under the theme "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism." BRICS leaders delivered their speeches on August 23, while the BRICS Plus Dialogue and the BRICS-Africa Outreach, events involving nations from the so-called Global South and the African continent, will take place on August 24.
China in BRICS calls for more cooperation, inclusion, and respect
Johannesburg.- The president of China, Xi Jinping, today called for cooperation in technology, space development, and education within the BRICS, and respect among civilizations instead of confrontation.
During his speech at the 15th summit of the bloc, which also includes Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa, he announced the creation of a Brics institute to collaborate in artificial intelligence and the exchange of information and technologies.
China proposed expanding collaboration in education, specifically related to digital education and exchanges on traditional culture.
He applauded the desire of some twenty nations to belong to this group and in that sense, he called for increasing the representation of developing countries and making good use of the BRICS Plus cooperation format.
“There are many civilizations and forms of development in the world and this is how the world should be, history will not end with one particular system or civilization prevailing over the others,” he stressed.
Xi promoted inclusiveness and the development of a common voice through which the group would collectively advocate peaceful coexistence and harmony.
The president called for respect for the decisions of each civilization and the path they have chosen for their development.
Lula at BRICS that Russia-Ukraine conflict evidences UN limitations
Pretoria.- Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in Johannesburg that the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine shows the limitations of the United Nations Security Council.
“We are willing to join efforts to achieve a ceasefire and a sustainable and lasting peace” in that confrontation, Lula said on the second day of the 15th Brics summit, a group composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
According to the former trade unionist, Brazil has “an important position on the sovereignty of countries and we are not indifferent to the deaths."
He insisted that “the search for peace is a collective obligation and an imperative for fair and sustainable development” and considered that the economic alliance should act “as a force for understanding and cooperation.”
He also referred to “Haitians, Yemenis, Syrians, Libyans, Sudanese, and Palestinians” as victims of conflicts and crises that, according to him, “do not receive due attention despite causing vast suffering to their populations."
India ratifies full support to BRICS expansion
Johannesburg.- The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, ratified the full support of his country to the expansion of the BRICS and his pleasure for the progress in this sense with the consensus of its members.
In his speech at the opening of the plenary session of the 15th Summit of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the president foresaw a promising future for the group: breaking barriers, revitalizing economies, inspiring innovation, and creating opportunities.
Modi also suggested initiatives to strengthen cooperation within the BRICS in areas such as space, education, skills and technology development, traditional medicine, and the protection of big cats.
He called for the creation of a Space Exploration Consortium to work for the global good in areas such as space research and climate monitoring.
He indicated that work is already underway on projects such as the creation of the BRICS satellite, the Vaccine Research and Development Center, and the mutual recognition of pharmaceutical products, which generate positive changes in the population of our countries.
Modi also made available to the members of the group the technological programs implemented in India for the development of education.
Among the innovations, the Indian Prime Minister mentioned the Diksha digital platform for the exchange of knowledge with children in remote and rural areas, as well as Bhashini based on artificial intelligence, viewing the elimination of language barriers, he explained.
For the healthcare sector, India pushed CoWIN to facilitate vaccination of the population, and the public service delivery sector is revolutionized through digital public infrastructure with India Stack, he added.
Putin praises the strength of BRICS economies
Moscow.- The economies of the BRICS members outperform those of the Group of Seven (G7) in purchasing power, Russian President Vladimir Putin assured on Tuesday in a video message to participants in the BRICS’ Business Forum in Johannesburg.
Putin further pointed out that the share of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), which are home to over three billion people, reached almost 26% of the global Gross Domestic Product.
“As for Russia, our trade exchange with BRICS partners increased by 40.5%, reaching the record figure of over 230 billion dollars,” Putin detailed.
The head of State further stressed that Russia is ready to substitute Ukrainian grain for the most needy both commercially and free of charge.
In that regard, Russia is in favor of establishing closer cooperation within the BRICS on the issue of reliable and uninterrupted supply of energy and food resources to the world markets, Putin underscored.
The president concluded that the goal-centered and irreversible process of de-dollarization of our ties is gaining momentum, and efforts are being made to develop effective mechanisms of mutual settlements and currency control.
Consequently, the dollar’s share of export and import transactions within the BRICS is declining: last year it was only 28.7%, Putin noted.
President Arce to share successful economic model with BRICS
Johannesburg.- Bolivian President Luis Arce arrived Wednesday in South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit, to share his domestic experience of the Productive Social Community Economic Model (MESCP).
Sources from the Bolivian delegation informed that Luis Arce will speak out on August 24 and show MESCP´s strength, which in an adverse international context maintains favorable indicators.
According to Development Planning Minister Sergio Cusicanqui, Bolivian growth is higher than the Latin American average, which by 2023 projects only 1.6%, while the Plurinational State is growing at 2.3% above the regional average.
Cusicanqui reaffirmed in this context that Bolivia continues with a low inflation rate, which in June barely reached 0.8%.
With information from Prensa Latina
