Parliament has commended the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) for successfully hosting the meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs on 1 and 2 June 2023 in Cape Town.

According to the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, the meeting was aimed at fostering collaboration and strengthening ties among the BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa] nations.

The gathering is a precursor of the BRICS Summit to be held in August, with South Africa to host fellow members Brazil, Russia, India and China.

Led by the DIRCO Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, as the chairperson of the BRICS Ministerial Meeting, the gathering provided a crucial platform for the BRICS Foreign Ministers to reflect on regional and global developments.

“The committee welcomed the commitments of the Ministers that were highlighted in a joint statement,” the committee said.

The Ministers affirmed, according to the committee, their commitment to strengthen the framework of BRICS cooperation under the three pillars of political and security, economic and financial, and cultura and people-to-people cooperation.

The leaders also upheld the BRICS spirit featuring mutual respect, understanding, equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, and consensus.

“The Ministers further expressed their full support to South Africa’s BRICS chairship in 2023 under the theme, ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development, and inclusive multilateralism’. They expressed their commitment to working together to ensure the success of the XV BRICS Summit.”

Committee chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo, said the committee also applauds the new member countries that joined the BRICS Bank. This comes after Pandor announced that Egypt, Uruguay and the United Arab Emirates are now members.

Mahumapelo further acknowledged the agenda, as proposed by the meeting in preparation for the upcoming BRICS Summit.

“We call upon the International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Pandor and South Africa to remain steadfast and steam ahead to host the BRICS Summit as planned in South Africa,” Mahumapelo said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency