South Africa
Source: infobrics.org

It was the responsibility of the BRICS nations to provide "new perspectives and solutions" to the current international security order, according to South Africa's state security minister, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba.

The minister was speaking on the second day of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) block of emerging economies' security ministers meeting in Durban.

South Africa is hosting the 2018 BRICS summit, which is convened annually and has a rotating chairmanship among members.

"We meet amid evolving global geo-political realities, a period when multilateralism is increasingly under siege, when the integrity of international agreements can be hastily and expediently compromised and when more countries are succumbing to the temptation to adopt inward-looking positions at the expense of others," said Lesatsi-Duba.

She was joined by BRICS security peers General Sergio Etchegoyen, Minister of the Institutional Security Cabinet of Brazil; Nikolai Patruchev, Secretary General of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor of India, and Yang Jiechi, State Councillor of the State Council of the People's Republic of China.

Letsatsi-Duba said the world had moved into a new and unsettling geo-political phase where doubts and questions about the global order were prevalent.

Multilateral rules-based approaches were unravelling, she said, and re-establishing the state as the primary locus of power and legitimacy had become an increasingly attractive strategy for many countries, but one that left many smaller states constrained.

"This creates new risks and uncertainties; rising military tensions, economic and commercial disruptions and destabilising feedback loops between changing global conditions and countries' domestic political conditions. International relations now play out in increasingly diverse ways," Letsatsi-Duba said.

"While we have progressed into the era of the fourth industrial revolution, we continue to face a range of security issues challenging our national security and sovereignty.

"Beyond conventional military build-ups, these include new cyber sources of hard and soft power, reconfigured trade and investment links, proxy conflicts, changing alliance dynamics and potential flashpoints related to the global environment," she said.

The global nature of security issues that included international terrorism, radicalisation, drug trafficking, money laundering, unconstitutional regime change to manage economic meltdown and the illicit economy had no respect for borders, she said.

"These issues are easily imported and negatively impact stability and security within our countries. Threats related to transnational organised crime, terrorism and cybercrime further emphasise the disrespect to our national borders. Nations cannot secure their national sovereignty unless they work together."

South Africa continued to view BRICS as a key strategic partnership to pursue and realise a just, safer, peaceful and more equitable world order, said the minister.

"South Africa will serve as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2019 and 2020. South Africa aims to use this opportunity to promote peace and security in the world and more specifically in Africa where most of the world's conflicts are located.

"As we work collectively, we must do so with a view to protecting the sacred and shared values of multilateralism and international law that underpin our union," she said.

African News Agency

China
Source: english.mofcom.gov.cn

The 8th Meeting of the BRICS Trade Ministers was held in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 5, 2018. The meeting was chaired by South African Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies and attended by trade ministers and delegates of BRICS member countries. Assistant Minister of Commerce Li Chenggang led the Chinese delegation to attend the meeting.

The meeting carried out in-depth talks on topics concerning supporting the multilateral trading system and deepening practical trade and economic cooperation, passed aJoint Communique for the Trade Ministers' Meeting and a Statement on Supporting the Multilateral Trading System and Fighting against Unilateralism and Protectionism, and made a series of achievements on trade and investment facilitation, trade in services, IPR, E-commerce, trade promotion, SMEs and standardization. It prepared for the BRICS' Summit to be held in Johannesburg on July 25-27.

Li Chenggang said in his speech that the present international trade and economic situation is complex and complicated, the BRICS should continue to be the supporters, drivers and leaders of the multilateralism and economic globalization, jointly express voice and propose plans to support the multilateral trading system and resolutely fight against protectionism and unilateralism. The BRICS Xiamen Summit 2017 reached several trade and economic achievements, witnessed the signing of BRICS Action Agenda on Economic and Trade Cooperation and clarified the action plan for BRICS trade and economic cooperation. The BRICS cooperation is at a key stage of development at present, all members should seize the opportunities of "Internet+" and "Industry 4.0" to explore new cooperation areas and modes, facilitate to make new achievements and contribute to the integrated BRICS market with intertwined interests. China will continue to relax market access by large margin, strengthen IPR protection, actively expand imports and create easy and orderly investment environment for entrepreneurs across the world including the BRICS countries.

During the meeting, Li Chenggang also met with the trade ministers of the South Africa and Brazil and invited other BRICS members to attend the 1st China International Imports Expo.

South Africa
Author: Danny Bradlow
Source: theconversation.com

The 10th BRICS summit to be hosted by South Africa is going to be closely watched. It comes at a time when extraordinary global political and economic challenges are facing the world.

The BRICS bloc is made up of 5 of the leading countries in the global South — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The challenges facing the world range from country specific problems relating to domestic poverty, inequality and unemployment to climate change and a global economic system that is biased in favour of corporate interests, particularly in finance and technology.

One of the most immediate political challenges relate to the changing dynamics in global economic governance. The current global powerhouse, the US, appears intent on starting trade wars with both China and the European Union. Africa can't avoid being adversely affected by a trade war between these three economic powers, which are its three largest trading partners.

The US is also pulling back from multilateral governance arrangements that it created. For example, it withdrew from the upcoming United Nations (UN) conference on migration and from the UN Human Rights Council. And Washington is effectively paralysing the World Trade Organisation (WTO) by refusing to agree to the appointment of new judges at the WTO Appellate Body.

These developments are creating a volatile and unpredictable situation for all countries. Small players on the global stage, like South Africa and other countries on the continent, face the prospect of becoming collateral damage in the destruction of the current global governance arrangements.

Given all these complex challenges, how should we judge the success of the BRICS Summit?

We can use three tests: is BRICS being strengthened? What benefits will accrue to Africa? And how is the bloc planning to influence global economic governance reform?

BRICS strengthening

One goal of the upcoming summit should be to strengthen the relationship between the BRICS partners.

A concrete way of measuring this will be to look at the number and quality of agreements to emerge out of the summit. A successful summit will result in a range of substantial agreements being reached. The world will be able to scrutinise the outcome in the communique released at the end of the meeting.

It is important to note that the summit is the apex event in a year-long process. During the year various groups of BRICS government officials, civil society groups and technical experts meet to discuss issues of common interest. They have included technical groups such as the BRICS water forum and a committee looking at customs cooperation. Others have involved political matters, such as meetings of foreign affairs ministers and government officials who help guide their leaders to the summit (known as Sherpas).

The participants in these meetings try to reach agreements on issues of mutual interest – such as establishing a BRICS vaccine research centre – or finding ways to collaborate in sectors like tourism. Their job is also to try and resolve differences.

These efforts feed into the work of the summit as the Sherpas prepare the statement of what has been agreed. Details of the agreements that have been struck will be released in a statement at the end of the summit.

BRICS in Africa

Given that the theme for this year's summit is: "BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the 4th Industrial Revolution", it's reasonable to expect the BRICS summit to produce benefits for Africa.

One area that would be beneficial for the continent would be a signal from the leaders that the BRICS members are willing to commit to funding infrastructure projects on the continent. This is important because Africa is in the process of putting in place an ambitious new Continental Free Trade Agreement. Successful implementation will require constructing infrastructure that can link the continent both internally and with other parts of the world.

BRICS could position itself for a critical role in the funding of these infrastructure projects.

Two obvious vehicles for such funds are the BRICS's New Development Bank and the funds that China has created to support its One Belt One Road Initiative.

Thus a test for summit success will be whether it generates new financing for sustainable infrastructure in Africa, and the nature of the financing.

Global governance reform

One goal shared by all the BRICS states is reforming global economic governance structures like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). The bloc hasn't been particularly successful in this mission. But this year may be an opportune time to promote reform.

Actions by the US have undermined its leadership position in the world and may have made other countries more open to governance reforms in key international economic organisations. This is particularly relevant for the IMF which is reviewing its quota allocations. A shift would lead to the world body being more responsive to the concerns of its poorer member countries.

There is a longstanding call for the inclusion of a third African chair on the IMF board. It is unconscionable that the 46 sub-Saharan African countries have the lowest level of representation of any region on the IMF board. South Africa should push BRICS to stand behind this call.

The BRICS should also support making the IMF more accountable to countries affected by its operations. This could be done by demanding that the IMF create an independent accountability mechanism. It is currently the only multilateral financial institution without one.

A key benefit of the BRICS is its potential to lead efforts to meaningfully reform the global economic system. It therefore behoves the citizens of BRICS countries to hold their governments accountable for fulfilling this potential.

South Africa
Source: www.brics2018.org.za

Industry Ministers from BRICS countries on Wednesday signed a declaration on the implementation of the Digital Industrial Revolution (DIR).

The Ministers met on Wednesday at the Africa Pride Mount Grace Hotel, in Magaliesburg, for the third BRICS Industry Ministers' meeting.

Briefing the media after the meeting, South Africa's Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said he and his counterparts had discussed issues of skills development and capacity building for the fourth industrial revolution or DIR.

"We adopted a declaration. The gist of it is that we have been talking about partnerships within BRICS to prepare us all for the fourth industrial revolution and to ensure that the benefits of this are widely defused and they outweigh the risks and downsides," he said.

This, the Minister said, would require cooperation and active intervention to ensure that the aim is achieved.

"It doesn't just happen by default. It does require an appropriate framework in which these technologies began to emerge," Davies said.

Establishing an advisory group

The Ministers have also resolved to establish an advisory group which would move into a concrete development of a programme to give effect to cooperation in six areas.

"One of them is the area of policy and regulatory frameworks. The other one is opportunities of cooperation in advanced technical skills and training, exchange of information in best practice with regards to digitization, capacity building, projects which secure inclusive and equitable growth for greater synergy of human and financial resources.

"This advisory will also work closely with the BRICS advisory council," he said, adding that the BRICS Business Council will have its meeting on 23 July in Durban.

The meeting also heard from Chinese companies with operations in South Africa which detailed how their investments in the country were learning experiences for the digital industrial revolution.

African Free Trade Area

Meanwhile, Minister Davies said South Africa's signing of the African Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement with the African Union, was a significant development.

"It's a very significant and strategic development," said the Minister at Wednesday's briefing. The agreement will pave the way for the country to benefit from inter-regional trade within the African continent.

It is envisaged that the agreement will contribute to the growth and diversification of the South African economy and therefore create jobs, as well as reduce inequality and unemployment.

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the agreement during the AU Summit that took place from 1 - 2 July 2018 in the Republic of Mauritania.

"The significance of the AfCFTA is that it is intended to boost intra-regional trade which is at very low levels of about 12% of total trade….that's very small compared to other regions. Behind that lies a vision of many of us that it is by creating a large market and emulating what China is doing now turning to its domestic market when trade conditions become tight."

This, said the Minister, can create a large market that will allow the emergence of reaching value chains and "will assist us all to move up the value chain from producing primary commodities into industrial products".

AGOA Forum

Meanwhile, the Minister is set to attend the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Forum in Washington DC next week.

In March 2016, government announced that it had concluded negotiations on poultry, beef and pork with the United States, a move that brought to a close months of discussions with the US on the terms required for South Africa to secure its position in AGOA.

In November 2015, then US President Barack Obama announced that the duty-free entry into the US of South Africa's agricultural exports under AGOA would end if South Africa's health restrictions on the import of US poultry, beef and pork were not lifted by 4 January. However, the deadline was extended to 15 March 2016.

At Tuesday's briefing, Davies said AGOA is not a negotiated agreement.

"It's a series of concessions offered to countries, an act of [US] Congress. There will be a lot of discussions. AGOA underpins a relatively balanced trading agreement between us [and the US] and we are saying if it isn't broke it needs no fixing so that's our message."

AGOA is a legislation that provides duty-free market access to the US for qualifying sub-Saharan African countries by extending preferences on more than 4 600 products. AGOA was reauthorized in June 2015 for 10 years until 2025, with South Africa's inclusion.

South Africa
Author: Elena Vanyna
Source: www.iol.co.za

THE five-member BRICS grouping, entering its 10th year of full-scale operation (South Africa joined it in 2010), has been a subject of speculation in the West since its creation. Western analysts raised doubts about its viability, saying its members were too different to get along together. But Russia firmly believed in the need for such a grouping, not only as an advantageous economic and humanitarian project but also as a means of building a multi-polar world and reducing the US geopolitical supremacy.

BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) is one of the signs of the emerging new world free of the West's domination. There is no monolithic unity among its member states, but this is not an obstacle to their mutual integration.

Russia has never put emphasis on disagreements with some of the member states, but tried to resolve them on a bilateral or multilateral basis within the grouping. Over the years, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have established co-operation in virtually all areas, and the 10th BRICS Summit in Joburg on July 25-27 will have a busy and substantive agenda to make it a major international event.

Over the past several years the grouping of five major emerging economies has turned from a "club based on shared interests" into a full-format mechanism of multifaceted strategic partnership.


BRICS leaders meet twice a year separately and on the sidelines of G20 summits, and every year the grouping organises about 100 official events, including 20 or so ministerial ones.

The five countries have established a broad network of interaction, contact and co-operation between entrepreneurs, academics and other members of civil society.

Over the past 10 years BRICS countries have created effective co-operative mechanisms such as the BRICS Business Council, the New Development Bank, a pool of conventional currency reserves, and the BRICS Network University. They are now discussing the possibility of creating a ratings agency and a common payment system and digital currency. They are also co-operating on academic and civil tracks, through youth and women's movements, and fight terrorism together.

The BRICS states are giving priority to joint work in science, technology, innovations, advanced medicine and planning to draft a joint agreement on co-operation in strengthening the security of information and communication technologies.

Russia is hoping to sign agreements with its BRICS partners this year to start joint energy research and create a platform for such studies to allow experts and members of academia to share information on energy markets, conduct joint reviews and eventually launch joint energy projects.

The humanitarian sphere has good prospects for development. Young performers from other member states will be invited to participate in international popular music contests in Russia.

The TV BRICS television channel has started test broadcasting. In the future it will feature Russian, Chinese, Brazilian Indian and South African programmes.

Following Western sanctions, Russia has been actively stepping up trade relations outside the US and Europe. Its exports from and imports to BRICS countries have increased by 25% over the past three years. The main export items are raw materials, agricultural produce, metals, chemical industry products and defence equipment. Imports include machines and equipment, chemicals and vehicles.

Trade in agricultural produce has been particularly brisk, with South African food literally flooding the Russian market following the ban on fruit, vegetable and food imports from Europe.

Enhancing strategic partnership with BRICS is one of Russia's foreign policy priorities. Just like the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO), BRICS has been acquiring special importance for Russia not only for economic but also for geopolitical reasons. In 2014, Russia was excluded from the Group of Eight major industrialised countries. The West has started a hybrid war against Russia, which many call a new Cold War. The US is struggling to keep the unipolar world. But Moscow believes that the combined political influence of the SCO and BRICS allows them to have a say in the process of building a new world order.

Elena Vanyna is Independent Media's stringer based in Moscow

South Africa
Author: Guo Weimin
Source: www.iol.co.za

More than 120 experts from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and other southern African countries gathered at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Wednesday night for a seminar entitled "Contributing BRICS' Wisdom to Global Governance in the Interests of the People.
The seminar, which reflected the common wish of government leaders, think tank members and corporate executives in the "BRICS Plus" community to promote co-operation and benefit the people, was one of the supplementary events in the run-up to the BRICS summit to be held in South Africa later this month.
Here is the speech delivered by Guo Weimin, deputy director of China's State Council Information Office, at the seminar.

Johannesburg - Distinguished Principal Richard Levin (principal of the South African National School of Government), Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Good morning! It's a great pleasure to meet with so many friends in the beautiful country of South Africa to discuss the BRICS countries' experience in governance.

Johannesburg is known as the "City of Gold" and today we are gathered here from to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and find the "true gold" of governance wisdom.

On behalf of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, I would like to extend my congratulations to the opening of the seminar, and my deep gratitude to our host – the South African National School of Government – as well as to other parties for their great efforts for preparing for the seminar.

In response to the call made by BRICS leaders to strengthen the exchange of state governance experience, the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee successfully held the first BRICS Seminar on Governance in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, the important starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, in September last year.

Participants at the seminar reached the Quanzhou Consensus of BRICS Seminar on Governance, which was included in the BRICS Leaders Xiamen Declaration. The Xiamen Declaration expressly noted the progress made by BRICS countries in the exchanges and co-operation in various areas, including governance, film-making, media, and think-tanks. The Declaration added: "We appreciate China's successful hosting of the BRICS Seminar on Governance, and will carry these fruitful initiatives forward in the future."

The BRICS Seminar on Governance 2018 held in South Africa is a concrete step to implement the results of BRICS leaders' meeting in Xiamen, and to honour our agreement in Quanzhou. I'm glad that you have all come here as we promised.

The theme of this year's seminar is "Contributing BRICS' Wisdom to Global Governance in the Interests of the People". It reflects the common wish of government leaders, think tank members, and corporate executives in the "BRICS Plus" community to promote BRICS co-operation and benefit the people of BRICS countries, and will have profound impact on beginning the second "golden decade" of BRICS co-operation. I believe your dialogues and in-depth exchanges around the seminar theme will lead to bountiful results.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

The people are the owners of society, and the countless workers represent the direction of historical development and progress. To truly benefit the people, continuously improve their lives, and strive for national development and progress through their efforts - this is the ultimate yardstick to measure a party's governing performance.

The Communist Party of China is the ruling party of a nation that has a population of more than 1.3 billion people. The people stand for the original aspiration and mission of the Party, and the Party always stands with the people, thinks about the people, and works for the people.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform an opening up. In the past 40 years, the Chinese economy and society have undergone tremendous changes, and the Chinese people's lives have considerably improved, from insufficiency and poverty to affluence and generally moderate prosperity. According to current United Nations standards, China has lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty, accounting for more than 70% of the global poverty reduction in the same period. This is a remarkable achievement.

After the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core has established the people-centered development thought. We take the people's aspiration for a good life as our goal, implement the "people first" concept in all governing work, keep pushing forward Socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strive for historic achievements in the Party's and nation's undertakings. The Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has been formed and a new realm in the governance of contemporary China has been created.

The Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the generalisation of the governing concepts and strategies upheld by the CPC and the Chinese government. With the people as its most distinct political stance and purest affection, it is the key to the development and progress of contemporary China. Here I want to share with you some of my observations.

First, we should adhere to "people-centered" value orientation. President Xi Jinping has formed deep and natural bonds with the people. He cares about their happiness and sadness, speaks for them, and stands up for them. He repeatedly emphasised that "winning the people's support is our biggest political task", "the people are whom we rely on", "ensuring a good life for the people is the starting point and objective of all our work", and "no one should be left behind on the way to moderate prosperity".

President Xi made a report at the 19th CPC National Congress in October last year, in which he mentioned "the people" more than 200 times. He has set an example for caring for the people, and has travelled nearly all over the country, including all of the extremely poor areas. It's safe to say that the CPC's "people first" concept has become a powerful force that keeps all Chinese people united and will help realise the Chinese Dream.

Second, we should adhere to "people-centered" policy direction. "All our policies must be aimed to meet the people's needs". The CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core takes "people centrism" as the guidance of governance, promotes the five-sphere integrated plan in a holistic way and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy in a co-ordinated way, implements new development concept, deepens the supply-side structural reform, and carries out the rural revitalization strategy, etc.

These substantial governing strategies are all aimed to improve the people's welfare, boost the modernization drive, and push for all-round development of the people and the society. In the past five-plus years, China has implemented a large number of measures for people's welfare, lifted over 60 million Chinese people out of poverty, and reduced the poverty incidence from 10.2% to less than 4%.

Education developed across the boar and education in the central and western regions and rural areas was remarkably improved; employment improved and over 13 million people found jobs in cities annually; income of urban and rural residents increased faster than economic growth and the middle-income group continued to expand; the social security system that covers all urban and rural residents was basically established, and people's health and
medical service were largely bettered, giving them a stronger sense of gain, happiness, and security.

Third, we should adhere to "people-centered" evaluation criterion. President Xi Jinping stressed that "the time gives us the test paper, we answer the paper, and the people grade the paper". The CPC makes great efforts to make our reform and development achievements more accessible to all people, and takes the people's attitude - their support, approval, satisfaction, and endorsement - as the fundamental criterion for governance. After the 18th CPC National Congress, the Chinese government has constantly set new records in its "governing performance sheet". By 2017, China's GDP reached RMB82.7 trillion, continuing to rank second in the world and driving global economic growth. The report of the 19th CPC National Congress pointed out that the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved to "the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life".

The Chinese government will work hard to adapt to the new change in the principal social contradiction in the new era, launch more projects and measures for improving people's livelihood and welfare, and better meet the people's ever-growing needs in economic, cultural, social, and ecological sectors. We will accept the evaluation and examination of "people graders" with full confidence.

Fourth, we should promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind with people at the centre. The world is in a period of big development, big reform, and big adjustment, with prominent instability and uncertainty. Based on his profound insight and wise thinking about human destiny, President Xi Jinping put forth China's assertion of building a community with a shared future for mankind and forging a new model of international relations. The original logic for building a community with a shared future for mankind is "putting the people at the centre". The world is a global village, where peoples of all countries live under the same sky and share the same home. We should act as a family. The dream of the Chinese people is closely connected with the dreams of the peoples of other countries.

China will stay on the path of peaceful development, carry out a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, uphold justice while pursuing shared interests, and pursue open, innovative, and inclusive development that benefits everyone. We will boost cross-cultural exchanges characterised by harmony without uniformity, inclusiveness, and mutual learning, cultivate ecosystems based on respect for nature and green development, and continue the efforts to safeguard world peace, contribute to global development, and uphold international order. Our call for building a community with a shared future for mankind
has received positive responses from many countries in the world and has been included in several United Nations resolutions.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

The past decade has seen the BRICS countries making brilliant achievements, with more prominent international position and increasing global influence. The combined GDP of the five BRICS countries has grown by almost 180%, their total trade volume by 94%, and contribution to world economic growth by more than 50%. BRICS co-operation has formed a multi-layer and all-round framework covering a wide range of areas, including politics, economy, finance, trade, social development, and people-to- people exchange. It has become a cooperation platform with global influence and a crucial mechanism for South-South cooperation, with its significance far beyond the five member countries.

These achievements are attributed to our adherence to the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and mutually beneficial co-operation, which ensures our sound and sustained cooperation pace and ceaseless cooperation outcomes; to our exercising the concept of global governance featuring wide consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, supporting developing countries to proactively take part in the reform and construction of the global governance system, and constantly contributing BRICS wisdom and strength; and to our value orientation of safeguarding the people's interests, priority to development, perfection of governance, and efforts to improve the people's livelihood and welfare.

At the same time, we must see that the world today is undergoing profound changes, economic globalisation is encountering resistance, trade protectionism is rising, certain country is taking irresponsible policies and measures to start trade disputes, and the global multi-lateral trade system is harmed severely.

Due to internal and external factors, the economic growth of BRICS countries is facing new challenges. Some people take the chance to assert that the BRICS countries are losing lustre and make bearish forecast about their co-operation and the second "Golden Decade". Under such circumstance, it is more imperative for us to remain confident and steadfast, expand the co-operation scope while focusing on win-win areas, deepen our partnerships, and
consolidate and expand the BRICS' circle of friends. Through these efforts, we strive to form a new situation of common progress and development, and show the world that the BRICS countries remain "true gold".

China is a firm supporter of and participant in the BRICS mechanism and takes BRICS co-operation as an important part of its diplomacy. At the plenary session of the BRICS Xiamen Summit last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping solemnly declared that "China will launch the BRICS Economic and Technical Cooperation Plan with RMB500 million in the first stage to facilitate policy exchange and practical co-operation in economic and trade areas. It will also contribute USD4 million to the NDB preparation fund to support its business operations and long-term development". These measures will generate a strong momentum to kick off the second "Golden Decade" of BRICS co-operation. We believe that the cooperation of BRICS countries will bring more tangible benefits to over three billion people and strongly promote world peace, stability, and prosperity.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Think tanks are the brain trust of governance. Their exchange and discussion of governance and mutual learning is of great significance for BRICS countries to achieve greater development in the future. Today, the Sandton Convention Centre is full of distinguished guests, including representatives from established think tanks and scholars with advanced attainment from BRICS countries and Africa. We have reasons to believe that this is going to be a grand gala of thoughts and ideas. I would like to take this opportunity to propose some suggestions for your reference.

First, we need to follow the principle of equality and mutual trust. BRICS countries are in similar development stages with the same development goals even though our national conditions are different. Although the think tanks here vary in strength and scale, they have respective expertise and share the same goal of boosting BRICS co-operation and development. We will have divergences during the exchange and discussion due to different national conditions, history, and culture, etc. However, as long as we respect each other's development path, treat each other equally, seek common ground while shelving differences, enhance mutual trust while dispelling doubts, and accommodate each other's concerns, we will have a good precondition for dialogue and consultation, a solid foundation for promoting pragmatic co-operation in various fields, and a bright prospect for the exchange and discussion of governance among BRICS countries.

Second, we need to focus on the second "Golden Decade". Think tanks are the highland of ideas and talent with distinctive intelligence advantages. Since the second decade of BRICS co-operation has begun, think tanks should be participants as well as suggestion and service providers. They should summarize the law of history, analyse the general trend of development, study the common difficulties facing BRICS countries, and offer suggestions for the second "Golden Decade" of BRICS cooperation. To implement the fruits of the BRICS Xiamen Summit, China has earmarked a special fund to encourage
and support think tanks from different countries to conduct researches on BRICS governance, which will be undertaken by China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, one of the hosts of this seminar. Think tank representatives here are welcome to work with the CIPG.

Third, we need to ensure deep and pragmatic discussion and exchange. The second decade of BRICS co-operation will be more vigorous and dynamic, during which the BRICS think tanks should follow the trend, increase interactions and exchanges, deepen our friendship, and pursue common development. The success of this seminar in South Africa will signal that the BRICS' governance communication has become a regular mechanism within the framework of BRICS co-operation. It is widely hoped that the seminar will closely follow the BRICS Summit and be held annually in the rotating presidency, where we will put forth our ideas and suggestions around the theme of the Summit, and make think tank cooperation a highlight of BRICS co-operation.

We should translate the fruits of the seminar into action by communicating the fruits widely to build consensus among people from all walks of life and influencing government decisions positively. The Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee will continue to support the exchange and co-operation among BRICS media to promote the outcomes of the governance seminar and help put them into practice.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

As a Chinese proverb goes, "the fire burns high when everybody adds wood to it", and an African proverb goes "one log can't make a house". The spark of intelligence will only burst into brilliant light when gathered in large quantity. We sincerely hope that you will candidly share experience and exchange views with an open mind, reach more consensuses, and gain more insight.

Finally, I wish the BRICS Seminar on Governance 2018 a great success.

Thank you.

South Africa
Source: www.iol.co.za

JOHANNESBURG - The Ministers of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, met in Magaliesburg, 4th of July 2018, take note of the following:

The global economy is demonstrating positive signs of economic recovery with output growth accelerating to nearly 4%. BRICS countries continue to play an important role as engines of economic growth. The recovery from the financial crisis that rocked the global economy a decade ago has been long and uncertain. Although the outlook for global growth does appear brighter, certain risks remain.

In the context of a generally positive global trend, emerging markets and developing economies have become increasingly important in the global economy, making progressively higher contributions to global output, trade and investment. These economies now account for a significant amount of global GDP, compared to the previous two decades.

The New Industrial Revolution (Fourth Industrial Revolution) and the drive for sustainable, less carbon and waste intensive production, is and will have profound disruptive impacts on the structure of global production, trade, investment, employment and education. Quantum leaps in technology and innovation are and will carry both enormous potential opportunities and benefits for industrial development but also carry significant challenges for broader, inclusive socio-economic growth and development, especially for developing countries. These opportunities and challenges will call for new high-tech driven innovative policy and regulatory frameworks by individual member countries and a closer mutually beneficial and collaborative efforts, including new and existing multilateral mechanisms of cooperation to secure equitable and inclusive growth.

As was noted in the 2017 Hangzhou BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting's Action Plan for deepening industrial cooperation among BRICS Countries, all the BRICS member countries are in the process of implementing their own industrial development strategies in order to strengthen and build their respective industrial capabilities.

In this context, the action plan of this Third BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting, seeks to build on previously adopted directions and further expand industrial cooperation to secure mutually beneficial outcomes in an increasingly complex global environment.

The BRICS Industry Ministers resolved to implement the BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy to secure mutually beneficial accelerated economic and industrial growth amongst member states, including placing further and concrete emphasis on the strengthening of business-to-business contacts in all the respective BRICS member countries and support the implementation of specific initiatives and projects in various fields and across a variety of industrial sectors.

The Ministers meeting further resolved:

To establish the BRICS partnership on the New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) that aims to translate the vision of the second Golden Decade of BRICS cooperation into reality through deepened BRICS cooperation on Industrialisation, Innovation, Inclusiveness and Investment. Under the partnership, in support of the manufacturing sectors, a new industrial revolution advisory group comprised of policy makers and experts from all BRICS countries will be established. The advisory group will develop a terms of reference and a work plan.

In the context of the New Industrial Revolution, determine key common areas of focus, including but not limited to:

Policy coordination in the context of New Industrial Revolution;

Opportunities for cooperation in advanced technical skills and training;

Exchange of information and best practices with respect to digitization;

Capacity building;

Projects which secure inclusive and equitable growth; and

Cooperation with stakeholders for greater synergy of human and financial resources.

The Advisory group will work closely with BRICS Business Council (BBC) in order to encourage the involvement and participation of the private sector in BBC working groups to accelerate mutually beneficial industrial cooperation across a wide variety of industrial and manufacturing sectors.

In keeping with the objectives set out in the BRICS Economic Cooperation Strategy, the advisory group will work on the implementation of existing cooperation projects, making full use of experiences of member states.

We, the Ministers of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, resolved to further strengthen existing collaborative and mutually beneficial efforts and projects in the industrial development arena, taking into account contemporary challenges related amongst others to global digital transformation, the imperative for sustainable economic development and the necessity to address the challenge of equitable and inclusive economic growth and industrialisation.

South Africa
Source: www.sanews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South African business heavyweights to join government in singing from the same hymn sheet at the upcoming BRICS Summit.

"We would like to see leadership not only being provided by government alone but by the rest of us. We need to speak with one voice and all of us must see ourselves as investment envoys, that duty cannot be left to the four special envoys only," said President Ramaphosa.

The President made the remarks at the Presidential Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) bloc business roundtable breakfast held at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House, in Pretoria, on Friday morning.

This, as South Africa gears up to play host for the upcoming 10th BRICS summit from 25 to 27 July 2018, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Gauteng.

Ministers, leaders of business and policy makers engaged on South Africa's primary pursuits within the BRICS which are aimed at achieving developmental outcomes, ensuring inclusive economic growth; promoting value-added trade among BRICS countries, promoting investment into the productive sectors amongst others.

The Summit will take place under the theme, "BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the 4th Industrial Revolution", BRICS members will reflect on the creation of an inclusive society and global partnerships.

In preparation for the Summit, President Ramaphosa called on the business delegation at the breakfast to reflect and ask the tough questions about the country's visa-regime and whether it stifles investment. He also asked delegates to interrogate whether the country's investment promotion was effective.

Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies briefed delegates about the country's state of readiness and the key policy considerations for the BRICS trade and investment agenda.

Davies said as BRICS members are part of a region, South Africa would use its membership to advance the interests of the continent especially in light of the recent signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) agreement.

BRICS Business Council Chairman Iqbal Surve said it was high time that business and government strengthened cooperation, adding that the council will use the summit to push for infrastructure investment into the country.

"It's time that we speak in one voice. We need to increase access we must start exporting manufactured goods and use the opportunity to skill up our young people. We have put a strong emphasis on the fourth industrial revolution and skills development for technology both in terms of technology transfer and to use technology to expand our trade into BRICS countries.

"Secondly there is a huge need for infrastructure investment into South Africa and Africa. With the MOU (memorandum of understanding) of the BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank, we want to make sure that Africa gets its fair share of the investment by the New Development Bank," said Surve. – SAnews.gov.za

Russia
Author: Alexandra Arkhangelskaya
Source: www.nkibrics.ru

Alexandra Arkhangelskaya, Researcher, Centre of Southern African Studies, Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences – specially for InfoBRICS

Russia's position in Africa is unique in comparison to the old and the new players in that it has a mixture of a historical presence in independent Africa cemented by ties to African elites and considerable experience, knowledge and techniques needed for the fast developing African states.

Africa and Russia have a long history of friendship. In the context of growing interests of Russia – Africa relationship, together with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and a large commercial role in military cooperation, Russia's importance to the continent needs to be better understood both for the efficacy of the BRICS and a more contextualized assessment of its impact on African business development prospects:

Firstly, the history and the nature of Russian - African relations.

Secondly, the contemporary ambience for bilateral relations. The world order is undergoing significant changes. The BRICS format today attracts most attention and gets the main focus of undergoing processes of change. There is a process of power shift that must be acknowledged.

Thirdly, it is essential to understand current foreign policy principles of Russia. It is important to understand the current Russian imperatives on the world arena. The foreign policy doctrine as well as some recent events should be revised to estimate the place and role of Africa in Russian politics.

Moreover, the last few years of bilateral relations should go under revision to draw a conclusion on the nature and perspectives of development of bilateral initiatives in politics, business and culture as well as potential for the future development of partnership relations between Russia and the African continent, South Africa being a "gate" to the continent.

Historical Background

Africa and Russia have a long history of friendship going back to the days, when the Soviet Union has considerably assisted in many African nations' gaining independence and the fall of the apartheid regime on the South of African continent. The USSR rendered support to the ANC and SACP in South Africa, to MPLA in Angola, to FRELIMO in Mozambique, to ZAPU in Zimbabwe. Soviet Union's initiative in 1960 pushed UN General Assembly to adopt the Declaration on Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, while some leading Western states refused to vote for it.

During the nineties of the last century Russia's relations with Africa shrank pitifully. The collapse of the Soviet Union broke most of Russia's ties with African countries. The Soviet ideological mission of fostering socialism also ceased. Russia was unable to continue economic subsidies to its "client" regimes. Relations with Africa received a relatively low priority, and in 1992 Russia closed nine embassies and four consulates on the continent. Most cultural centers ceased to exist. (From 20 centers now there are only 7 left). Relations with some African states worsened in late 1991 when then President Boris Yeltsin ordered to end all foreign aid and demanded immediate repayment of outstanding debts. Gradually things began to change, not only because of Russia's economic recovery, but due to a more broadminded and rational perception of the modern world by the Russian leadership.

Political Goals

Expansion of many-sided ties with African states meets Russia's interests, it allows "to employ the African factor for advancing Russian interests in the international arena" and tackling its own economic tasks. It regards "the cooperation potential that was amassed in previous decades, including traditional ties with leading elites of African states, the experience of interaction in the economic, commercial, scientific, technological, investment and other fields, and the similar approaches to shaping a new world pattern resting on the principles of equality of all states, multilateral diplomacy and respect for international law" as "important prerequisites" for expanding multifaceted interaction. So "it is necessary to persistently search further for ways to streamline dialogue with the countries of Africa and their regional and sub-regional organizations, primarily the African Union. The level of political cooperation is high.

The main aims of the foreign policy efforts:

* the provision and strengthening of Russia's security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,

* solid positions in the world community,

* creation of favourable conditions for sustainable and dynamic growth of the Russian economy,

* strengthening of world peace,

* universal security and stability with the aim of creation of fair and democratic international system.

Thus, the expansion of many-sided ties with African states meets Russia's interests, and allows "to employ the African factor for advancing Russian interests in the international arena" and tackling its own economic tasks.

BRICS - A Way Forward?

Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to SA at the end of March 2013.

The signing of cooperation agreements between the BRICS countries, especially on co-financing infrastructure projects in Africa, and support to establishing the BRICS Business Council and BRICS Academic Forum, no doubt will encourage Russian companies and research bodies dealing with Africa.

Besides, a package of bilateral documents on cooperation in various fields was signed during the visit: on flight safety, mutual recognition of educational documents and academic degrees, astrophysics research, joint cultural project, the energy sector, with respect to platinum group metals, fishing, ferroalloy production and solar energy.

There is a reason to believe that the visit of Russian President, who was accompanied by many dozens of high officials and businessmen will give a new impulse for the country's involvement in Africa.

With a new rise of interest from Russia towards Africa, it becomes clearer that Russia and Africa need each other. Russia is a vast market not only for African minerals, but for various other goods and products produced by African countries. At the same time, Russia's activity on the continent strengthens the position of African countries vis-à-vis both old and new external players.

Often Moscow's "come back" to Africa is regarded in a competitive view to Chinese involvment in Africa. This approach is flowed – in the field of economical relations Russia and China often have different interests. For instance, Russia is not able to compete with China or any other country, in exporting cheap clothes or footwear, in fact its importing them from China. Work or general migration to Africa does not represent any interest for Russia with its demographical problems.

Conclusions And Recommendations:

- draw more attention to Africa through government agencies and business sector in Russia.

- develop a program of state support for Russian business, including support for public banks and investment projects.

- activate the work of the Business Councils and other forums between Russia and African states.

- develop synergistic regional economic and developmental frameworks, which could accommodate sovereignty within a broader growth paradigm.

- improve Russia's image through a broad information strategy aimed at increasing knowledge about Russia.

- demonstrate an understanding of the cultural, historical and traditional heritage.

- emphasize more the cultural and educational projects to develop people to people contacts.

India
Author: Sachin Parashar
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Cross-border terrorism is likely to again dominate PM Narendra Modi's agenda at the Brics summit later this month in South Africa. NSA Ajit Doval travelled to Durban last week for a Brics security meet ahead of the summit where he underscored India's contention that not enough had been done to check cross-border and state-sponsored terrorism.

In the meeting with NSAs of other Brics nations, Doval, according to diplomatic sources, said it was important to find a way to check what action was being taken by states to wipe out terror sanctuaries operating on their soil.

The big takeaway for India on terrorism from the Xiamen Brics summit last year was the specific mention of Pakistan-based terror groups LeT and JeM in the Brics Declaration. This was achieved with help from Russia after China blocked a mention of the same groups in the declaration of Brics 2016 summit in Goa.

South Africa
Author: Georgina Crouth
Source: www.iol.co.za

CAPE TOWN - South Africa might be a small country relative to its BRICS partners, Russia, China, Brazil and India, but it punches well above its weight - and can do so much better if it channels more of its focus to collaborating with other emerging economies.

It's a no-brainer, believes Dr Iqbal Survé, the chairman of Sekunjalo Investment Holdings and current chair of the South African chapter of the BRICS Business Council.

With access to a market of more than 3 billion people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of around R19trillion - or 23percent of the gross world product - South Africa's engaged membership of BRICS is central to its ability to meet President Cyril Ramaphosa's plan to raise R1.2trillion in new investment.


Weeks before the annual BRICS Summit, which will be held in Joburg from July 25 to 27, Dr Survé said the BRICS Business Council was on track to receive more than 750 delegates in Durban, including 100 dollar billionaires, business leaders, and the heads of state of five neighbouring countries, on July 22 and 23.

It's the second summit in South Africa: the first rotational summit was held in 2013, three years after the country was admitted to the association of major emerging economies.

The councils comprise five prominent people in business: the chairperson is appointed by the cabinet.

"The way we've structured our council, in consultation with the ministers of finance and of trade and industry, is to include a representative of Business Unity SA, the Black Business Council, a state-owned enterprise, and two business leaders or entrepreneurs," he said.

"The council has 25 members, but in each country there are working groups. There are currently nine working groups: on financial services; agriculture; the green economy; infrastructure; manufacturing; the digital economy; deregulation; and skills development."

The working groups essentially carve policy direction for their governments, aligning the positions of business to the government on things like deregulation.

"We are not there to execute those things; business people, working with the government, do that. We are there to facilitate and set policy.

"So, if someone says we want to do business between India and South Africa, or Brazil and South Africa, but it's impossible to get visas or it's difficult to get registration about businesses, or we want verification that the people we will be doing business with are legitimate and we're not dealing with any nonsense, our role is to create platforms for people to be able to do all of that. It's about transfers of technology, sharing of knowledge."

BRICS isn't only an economic partnership; during the summit, in parallel to the business and politicos meetings, there are think-tank meetings, in which academic institutions discuss collaborations; as well as meetings of labour and youth groupings.

At the Durban meeting, which the South African chapter is hosting in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, the council is pulling out all stops. Not only is it responsible for the full organisation, including logistics, security and hotel accommodation, it has also set aside a session to attract investment.

"The president has asked for a R1trilllion investment into the country, so we've set aside a special session presented by Mcebisi Jonas and Trevor Manuel. The president might come on the second day of the summit, subject to his availability, because there's a state visit from China."

The council meeting is very important, because it's an opportunity to showcase our excellence.

Dr Survé said the Chinese government spent $100 million (R1.37billion) on their business council meeting, which was "world class, fantastic", but this meeting was mostly funded by South African business and the KwaZulu-Natal government.

"We're not spending a fraction of what the Chinese did, but I think we've done well, with less. Our attendance for this meeting has already exceeded China's, which was held last year. With less than two weeks to the meeting, Durban already has 450 confirmed attendants. We were actually quite surprised that we have such a huge number of people coming. I believe we'll punch above our weight and give the meeting a Southern African flavour.

"This is our opportunity to host 500 of the wealthiest people from BRICS, showcasing our country and telling them what a great place it is to invest in. But sometimes we don't think that way."

As the longest-serving member of the council, Dr Survé said he was proud of his contribution over the past eight years.

"Are we equal partners in BRICS? Absolutely - but we never acted like that until I took over. We hadn't seen real exports from South Africa to BRICS countries. We started engaging in meetings on more of an equal footing. We sort of woke up, started giving the other countries a hard time and not giving them their way all the time. Instead, we put forward our position as South Africa and Africa."

The point of BRICS was not to oppose the West, he said, but was to promote multilateralism.

"We live in a multipolar world, which is very healthy. It's not about us not using the World Bank and using the New Development Bank; it's about having access to all of them. In any case, the biggest creditor for the US government is the Chinese government. So why are people complaining about us getting funds from China, because if China had to sell its US bonds, the US would be in huge trouble, to the value of $3 trillion."

Joining BRICS was a significant achievement, Dr Survé said. "Whatever anyone says about former president Jacob Zuma and his foreign minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, we shouldn't squander this opportunity because it was a Zuma project: that would be a terrible mistake.

"I think it's a gift that we got to participate in BRICS. We need to get rid of any notion that BRICS is from the Zuma era, that it's being anti-West: it's a fantastic opportunity to actually get foreign investment into our country."

"We have too much debt, reaching 70percent of our GDP, which means you have to service debt with no money for schools, health, housing. We're spending $80bn just in interest on debt.

"The government isn't going to be able to create jobs; the private sector has to create the jobs, start investing in job creation projects, or if foreign investors start investing in projects that create jobs."

Citing the example of China's transformation into a superpower, Dr Survé said that 35 years ago, the country was one of the poorest in the world, with mass starvation. In 1978, Deng Xiaoping was appointed leader and instituted far-reaching market reforms.

"He came in and basically said that if he doesn't open up the economy, Chinese will starve. Money started pouring in, and even today, China still receives huge amounts of foreign direct investment.

"In just over a generation, China was able to move from an extremely poor country to almost a middle-income country."

With 66percent of South Africa's population aged below 35 and about 70percent of them unemployed, Dr Survé said we needed to create opportunities for the youth on the continent by partnering with other emerging economies.

"This opportunity for us to be part of a much bigger economy (through BRICS), to engage with other investors to attract capital in order to create jobs, is vital.

"It's difficult for us to export to the US, because they've got so many tariffs; the EU is also difficult. But by creating this wider market for your goods and services and products, we can access the Chinese and Indian markets with more than 3billion people."

It was about having the vision as entrepreneurs to think differently about other countries and to get out of traditional comfort zones and not targeting "safe" markets, because the youth were the engine for growth.

India
Source: infobrics.org

Development and inclusive economic growth, value-added trade among BRICS countries and promoting investment in productive sectors will top the agenda of discussions at the BRICS summit next month. The three-day event will be held in South Africa from July 25.

The summit is expected to focus on new areas that have been proposed by member countries during various interactions held in recent months. These include: a working group on peacekeeping, creation of a vaccine research centre, creation of the BRICS gender and women forum and BRICS strategic partnership towards the progress of the fourth industrial revolution.

According to media reports, South Africa is planning to reach out to other African nations for industrialisation and infrastructure development in the continent. Rwanda (chair of the African Union), Namibia (incoming chair of the Southern African Development Community) and Togo (chair of the economic community of West Africa) will take part. The head of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, president of African Development Bank and chiefs of six regional executive committees have also been invited.

Countries such as Argentina, Indonesia, Egypt and Turkey have also received invitation for the BRICS-plus Outreach.

Earlier this month, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, during her five-day trip to South Africa, attended the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) foreign ministers' meeting in Pretoria. She, along with other members of the group, opposed the 'new wave of protectionism' and the systematic impact of unilateral measures that are incompatible with the WTO rules.

According to a statement released at the end of the meeting, "The ministers emphasised the importance of an open and inclusive world economy enabling all countries and people to share the benefits of globalisation. They underlined the firm commitment to free trade, and centrality of a rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, multilateral trading system as embodied in the World Trade Organisation."

They reiterated that the WTO dispute settlement system is a cornerstone of the multilateral trading system as it is designed to enhance security and predictability in international trade," the statement said.

They reaffirmed their commitment to conclude the IMF's 15th general review of quotas, including a new quota formula, by the spring meetings in 2019.

Emerging countries such as India, China, Brazil and Russia have been asking for increased voting rights in the IMF proportionate to their growing share in the world economy.

China
Source: www.xinhuanet.com

TEHRAN, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran's non-oil trade with the BRICS nations declined 8.68 percent in volume but increased 7.4 percent in value during the last Iranian fiscal year compared to the corresponding year before, local media Eghtesad Online reported on Sunday.

Iran's fiscal year starts from March 21 till March 20 of the following year.

The overall volume of the bilateral trade with BRICS, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, stood at 53.78 million tons, valued 29.06 billion U.S. dollars.

Iran exported 45.3 million tons of non-oil goods with a worth of 12.16 billion dollars to the five nations last year, while it imported 8.48 million tons worth 16.9 billion dollars in that period.

The figures indicate that Iran's non-oil trade with BRICS nations accounted for 28.7 percent of the country's overall foreign trade last year.

Moreover, exports to the select group of countries accounted for 25.9 percent of overall exports as 31 percent of overall imports came from the same nations.

China and India were Iran's main trade partners followed by Russia, Brazil and South Africa.

South Africa
Source: www.iol.co.za

The ministers of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, met in Magaliesburg on Wednesday. Take note of the following: The global economy is demonstrating positive signs of economic recovery, with output growth accelerating to nearly 4%. BRICS countries continue to play an important role as engines of economic growth. The recovery from the financial crisis that rocked the global economy a decade ago has been long and uncertain. Although the outlook for global growth does appear brighter, certain risks remain.

In the context of a generally positive global trend, emerging markets and developing economies have become increasingly important in the global economy, making progressively higher contributions to global output, trade and investment. These economies now account for a significant amount of global gross domestic product compared with the previous two decades.

The New Industrial Revolution (Fourth Industrial Revolution) and the drive for sustainable, less carbon- and waste-intensive production is, and will have, profound disruptive impacts on the structure of global production, trade, investment, employment and education. Quantum leaps in technology and innovation are and will carry both enormous potential opportunities and benefits for industrial development but also carry significant challenges for broader, inclusive socio-economic growth and development, especially for developing countries.

These opportunities and challenges will call for new hi-tech-driven innovative policy and regulatory frameworks by individual member countries and closer mutually beneficial and collaborative efforts, including new and existing multilateral mechanisms of co-operation to secure equitable and inclusive growth.

As was noted in the 2017 Hangzhou BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting's Action Plan for deepening industrial co-operation among BRICS countries, all the BRICS member countries are in the process of implementing their own industrial development strategies in order to strengthen and build their respective industrial capabilities.

In this context, the action plan of this third BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting seeks to build on previously adopted directions and further expand industrial co-operation to secure mutually beneficial outcomes in an increasingly complex global environment.

The BRICS industry ministers resolved to implement the BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy to secure mutually beneficial accelerated economic and industrial growth among member states, including placing further and concrete emphasis on the strengthening of business-to-business contacts in all the respective BRICS member countries and supporting the implementation of specific initiatives and projects in various fields and across a variety of industrial sectors.

The ministers meeting further resolved:

To establish the BRICS partnership on the New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) that aims to translate the vision of the second Golden Decade of BRICS co-operation into reality through deepened BRICS co-operation on industrialisation, innovation, inclusiveness and investment.

Under the partnership, in support of the manufacturing sectors, a new industrial revolution advisory group comprised of policymakers and experts from all BRICS countries will be established.

The advisory group will develop terms of reference and a work plan.

In the context of the New Industrial Revolution, (it will) determine key common areas of focus, including but not limited to:

Policy co-ordination in the context of New Industrial Revolution.

Opportunities for co-operation in advanced technical skills and training.

Exchange of information and best practices with respect to digitisation.

Capacity building.

Projects which secure inclusive and equitable growth.

Co-operation with stakeholders for greater synergy of human and financial resources.

The advisory group will work closely with BRICS Business Council (BBC) in order to encourage the involvement and participation of the private sector in BBC working groups to accelerate mutually beneficial industrial co-operation across a wide variety of industrial and manufacturing sectors.

In keeping with the objectives set out in the BRICS Economic Co-operation Strategy, the advisory group will work on the implementation of existing co-operation projects, making full use of experiences of member states.

We, the ministers of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, resolved to further strengthen existing collaborative and mutually beneficial efforts and projects in the industrial development arena, taking into account contemporary challenges related among others to global digital transformation, the imperative for sustainable economic development and the necessity to address the challenge of equitable and inclusive economic growth and industrialisation. - Issued by the Department of Trade and Industry.

South Africa
Source: apanews.net

In an apparent rebuke of US President Donald Trump, trade ministers from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) meeting here have reaffirmed their commitment to a multilateral trading system as a tool to promote greater inclusivity.

Speaking to media following what he regarded as a fruitful and constructive engagement of BRICS in Magaliesburg, host Trade Minister Davies said he and counterparts had agreed to update work they have done previously, apart from condemning Trump's knee-jerk and destabilising economic policies.

He said: "Unilateralism is now placing the future of the multilateralism system at risk and we reaffirmed our commitment to a multilateral trading system," Davies said.

He noted that a multilateral trading system "needs to become the tool to promote greater inclusivity and lessen inequality in the world."

Davies had earlier said told fellow BRICS ministers that Thursday's meeting comes at a time of great turbulence in the global environment as stirred up by Trump's "America First" trade policies.

"We are seeing disruptive and destructive behaviour by the current leadership of the world's largest economy (USA). It's not just that tariffs have been raised.

"It is that a little used justification of 'national security' has been used to raise tariffs above WTO (World Trade Organisation) bindings, and to apply them not on the basis of the rule without discrimination, but discriminatorily applying them to some of us and not to others," Davies said.

This, the minister said, was a matter of great concern "because it is weakening the multilateral trading system, weakening the rules based trading environment that we have all gotten used to."

His comments were echoed by the Chinese Assistant Minister of Commerce, Li Cheng-gang, who said the US "is behaving like a bull in a chinaware shop."

Several governments, including China and South Africa have condemned Trump's decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium.

Trump signed a proclamation in March imposing a 10% tariff on imports of aluminium articles and a 25% tariff on imports of steel articles.

South Africa
Source: www.sanews.gov.za

BRICS Trade Ministers have affirmed their commitment to a multilateral trading system as a tool to promote greater inclusivity.

"…Unilateralism is now placing the future of the multilaterism system at risk and we reaffirmed our commitment to a multi-lateral trading system. Many of us expressed the view that a multilateral trading system needs to become the tool to promote greater inclusivity and lessen inequality in the world," South Africa's Trade and Industry Minister, Dr Rob Davies, said.

Speaking to SAnews following what he regards as a fruitful and constructive engagement of BRICS Trade Ministers in Magaliesburg, Davies said the Ministers have agreed to update work they have done previously.

"We have agreed to update some work which we did before, which is to identify areas where we are complementary in trade and to emphasise those. We have a cooperation programme on technical standards, which is going to support the exchange in information and I am aware that these are major issues in international trade now," he said.

Earlier at the opening session of the meeting -- which follows on the one held in Xiamen, China last year -- Davies said today's meeting comes at a time of great turbulence in the global environment.

"We are seeing disruptive and destructive behaviour by the current leadership of the world's largest economy. It's not just that tariffs have been raised. It is that a little used justification of national security has been used to raise tariffs above WTO [World Trade Organization] bindings and to apply them not on the basis of the rule without discrimination, but discriminatorily applying them to some of us and not to others," Davies said.

This, the Minister said, is a matter of great concern "because it is weakening the multilateral trading system, weakening the rules based trading environment that we have all gotten used to".

Davies, however, conceded that the multilateral system is "not perfect" and that negotiations on the WTO agenda in terms of the developmental mandate remain largely unfinished.

The Minister bemoaned the issue that there is aggressive action aimed at rebalancing the global trading system in the partisan advantage of one player.

The Minister's comments were echoed by the Chinese Assistant Minister of Commerce, Li Chenggang, who (speaking through a translator) said the world's largest economy "is behaving like a bull in a china shop".

In May, Cabinet expressed its disappointment at the decision by the United States not to exempt South Africa from the application of steel and aluminum duties.

US President Donald Trump signed proclamations granting permanent country-exemptions to a select number of countries and extended by one month the Section 232 steel and aluminium tariff duty exemptions for some.

The proclamation follows the 8 March proclamation signed by President Trump to impose a 10% ad valorem tariff on imports of aluminium articles and a 25% ad valorem tariff on imports of steel articles. This excluded select countries namely Canada, Mexico, the European Union, South Korea, Australia, Argentina and Brazil.

Significance of BRICS

Davies said the coming together of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) is extremely important, as these countries represent about 22% of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).The bloc is a significant force that many parts of the emerging world look to.

He told SAnews that South Africa has expressed its concern on the flexibilities around public health and intellectual issues among others.

The meeting also heard of progress made in other member states in the bloc, with the Brazilian Deputy Minister for Industry, Foreign Trade and Service, Yana Dumaresq, saying that in recent times, the country has signed 30 agreements with BRICS members.

She urged BRICS countries to facilitate more trade among each other, while the other Ministers called for strengthened cooperation to protect multilaterism.

The meeting also endorsed a practical cooperation mechanism, as well as an action plan that will enhance cooperation on various aspects on intellectual property.

They also agreed on a practical approach to promote trade and value added products.

SA's membership of BRICS

Meanwhile, Small Business Development Minster Lindiwe Zulu said South Africa is honoured to hold the Presidency of BRICS in 2018. She said the 10th BRICS Summit to be held from 25 July comes at a time when there is increased anti-globalisation sentiment.

"We are meeting at a time when there are unprecedented challenges facing multilateral systems. We are also witnessing a rise in anti-globalisation sentiments due to lack of inclusive growth.

"We need to position the BRICS partnership differently and ensure that it contributes to inclusive growth and that development is at the centre of everything that we do in order to change the world."

Zulu said South Africa, which joined BRICS in 2011, takes its participation in the bloc seriously.

"We do believe in this partnership and we will do everything we can to make sure that this partnership grows. No doubt, individually BRICS countries are important and influential globally but even more so through the alliance we have forged."

South Africa
Author: Kuben Chetty
Source: www.iol.co.za

Durban - The Brics Business Council to be held in KwaZulu-Natal this month "is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Durban", according to Dr Iqbal Survé, the chairperson of the South African chapter of the council. Brics membership is made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The BRICS Business Council is set to meet in KwaZulu-Natal from July 22-23, before the 10th Brics summit in Gauteng from July 25-27.

With 100 dollar billionaires coming to Durban, this was an opportunity to meet President Cyril Ramaphosa's $100billion investment goal to boost the economy, said Survé.

"There will be a special three-hour meeting where the special ­envoys have been invited, and South Africa will present the case for inward investment in the country and Southern Africa.


"We will have massive corporates here and they will have the opportunity to look at South Africa as an investment destination."

Survé said that for developing countries, it was crucial that the global economy was not dominated by one or two countries.

"It is very important for South Africa as a country and in our position in Africa as a region to have a new voice in the new world.

"Trade will be about who is going to dominate technology in the future. It is crucial for the country to build its technology sector," he said.

On his role as chairperson of the SA chapter of the council, Survé said he remained passionate about empowering young South Africans and ­ensuring they acquire the skills to thrive in the tech­nology sector.

Through Brics, co-operation in the areas of science, technology and innovation had been encouraged through various initiatives. Recently, a BRICS Action Plan for Innovation Co-operation (2017-2020) was formalised to allow practical mechanisms to be implemented.

Survé said 66% of South Africa's population was under the age of 35, and 60% of these young South Africans were unemployed.

"We need to use this technology skills transfer to upskill young people, because they are dynamic and all they need is an opportunity to develop their skills. Through Brics, Africa has an opportunity to become a global technology base."

Dr Survé said that for this to happen there needed to be an injection in capital, and for technological skills to be transferred to developing countries.

"The Americans and Europeans are not willing to share this knowledge, and it is up to the Brics countries to grow this sector that will lead to technological advancements.

"This will allow for service economies and technology driven economies," Dr Survé said.

Sihle Zikalala, the KZN MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, said the hosting of the Brics Business Council augured well for the strategy to continue to attract more investment.

"The world is experiencing a slow recovery from the financial crisis, and Brics is a proper platform for engagement on how to grow the economy and ensure investment."

Zikalala said KZN would be offered the platform to present opportunities for investment at a number of sessions.

Brazil
Author: Oliver Stuenkel
Source: americasquarterly.org

Geopolitical divisions in the West could give Brazil and its partners a chance to increase their influence.

Brazilian President Michel Temer's third and final trip to the BRICS Summit may well be his most meaningful. The 10th annual meeting, which will bring together the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa from July 25 to 27 in Johannesburg, comes amid profound uncertainty about the future of the global economic order – and doubts about the West's continued ability to set the agenda for international affairs. This creates an opportunity for the BRICS to assume a more prominent role.

The current state of the G7, a grouping of the world's largest developed economies, is a case in point. At the group's most recent meeting in Canada, President Donald Trump insisted on removing the term "rules-based international order" from the meeting's communiqué, then withdrew the U.S.' signature altogether. It is increasingly evident that Trump is seeking to undermine the European Union, too, by providing active support for Euroskeptic forces across the continent. In light of such monumental global changes and a vacuum of power not seen since the end of the Cold War, the BRICS countries may currently agree with each other on more than do the world's most advanced economies.

This marks a major turn of events. Over the past decade, critics of the BRICS have repeatedly pointed to the many disagreements between its member states to argue that their different worldviews make meaningful cooperation unlikely. After all, Brazil, India and South Africa are democracies, while Russia and China are authoritarian regimes; India and China even face an unresolved border dispute.

Yet contrary to such expectations and despite internal differences, the grouping has not only continued to organize yearly presidential summits, but also undergone an impressive process of institutionalization. The creation of a joint development bank, tens of yearly minister-level intra-BRICS meetings, and close cooperation on issues ranging from IMF reform to counterterrorism, are key examples of the kind of productive multilateralism that Trump is dismantling elsewhere.

The BRICS have good reason to deepen this kind of cooperation. Brazil may not be as directly affected by Trump's foreign policy revolution as countries like Germany or Mexico, but there are clear signs that U.S. policy poses a severe threat to its economic interests. In response to U.S.' tariffs on Brazilian steel, for example, the EU will likely impose limits of its own to keep global shipments intended for the U.S. from flooding the European market. With the outcome of trade negotiations with the EU uncertain, the BRICS members are today relatively reliable commercial partners – even though China recently angered Brazil by imposing tariffs on Brazilian chicken.

What is true for Brazil is valid for the global order as a whole. While far from exemplary free-trading nations, the BRICS at least do not actively seek to undermine the current global trading system. In the worst-case scenario, the United States will succeed in bringing about a global trade war. In a better and more likely scenario, globalization will continue without the United States. Either way, Brazil has little choice but to increasingly rely on its BRICS partners, above all China.

And yet, despite approaching its 10th anniversary, doubts still linger about what role the BRICS grouping can play, and to what extent it can provide much-needed global public goods. Debates at BRICS events are often stale, dominated by official language and lacking in dynamism. Brazil is partly to blame: its participation in the grouping has been too passive, especially since the administration of former President Dilma Rousseff. The Chinese and Russian governments frequently propose new intra-BRICS initiatives, and there is a vibrant public debate in India and South Africa about the grouping (including of the critical sort). In Brazil, however, the topic is almost entirely overlooked.

The consequence is that Brazil contributes virtually no ideas to a grouping that is in desperate need of them. The Brazilian government's strategy vis-à-vis China's growing role in Latin America, for example, has been largely one of complacency. In private, Brazilian diplomats argue that Beijing is unwilling to use the BRICS format to directly discuss urgent issues like the crisis in Venezuela or fears of unequal terms of trade with China.

Brazil's next president should insist that these issues are discussed during at the 2019 summit in Brasília. For his part, Temer should make the most of the new global circumstances in which the BRICS are operating. Brazil could use its privileged position in the grouping to more effectively shape its bilateral relationship with China – by far the most important one it has with the BRICS countries – in a way that serves its interests. Both the upcoming summit in South Africa and Brazil's BRICS presidency in 2019 are unique opportunities to help revitalize a grouping that, intentionally or not, is bound to play a key role in global affairs.

Germany
Source: doc-research.org

The Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute (DOC), together with the Centre for Film and Media Studies will co-host a symposium titled "BRICS Media Systems in a Digital Age" at the University of Cape Town on 6-7 September. The event´s aim is to analyse the impact of digitalisation processes on society in BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), and follows on the 10th Summit of leaders of the BRICS countries to be held in Johannesburg in July. The symposium is also supported by the South African National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS).

The emergence of the BRICS group of states as a new geopolitical power bloc has received substantial coverage in the media and in the emerging body of scholarship. The focus, has fallen largely on macro questions of economic development, international relations and political influence. Despite the media and communications industries being a central point of focus in BRICS action plans, only a relatively small group of scholars internationally that have focused attention on the role of the media in the establishment of the BRICS alignment and on a comparative study of media systems in the BRICS countries.

Further analysis and consideration of the media's role in the BRICS countries, especially within a context of increased uncertainty on the level of global geopolitics and international relations, is therefore crucial. An understanding, for example, of how the geopolitical shifts associated with the emergence of regions outside of the old Euro-American centres of power – the 'rise of the rest' in Fareed Zakaria's terms – are impacting global communication patterns, demands more comparative studies of countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The symposium aims to close this gap and to contribute to a better understanding of the changing media landscape form a transnational point of view. Scholars from all the BRICS countries will be attending the symposium.

Main topics to be discussed include:

• Political economy of digital media in the BRICS countries
• Digital communication and political dissent
• Social media: polarising or connecting?
• Cybersecurity
• Internet governance in the BRICS countries
• The challenge of artificial intelligence

Confirmed speakers:

Jens Wendland, Dialogue of Civilisations Research Institute, University of Arts Berlin

Nikita Konopaltsev, Dialogue of Civilisations Research Institute

Klemens Witte, Dialogue of Civilisations Research Institute

Changfen Chen, Tsinghua University

Brasilina Passarelli, University of Sao Paolo

Elena Vartanova, Moscow State University

Tanja Bosch, University of Cape Town

Lisa Thompson, University of the Western Cape

Sanjay Barthur, University of Hyderabad

Deqiang Ji, Communication University of China

Leonardo Custodio, University of Tampere

Dmitri Gavra, University of St Petersburg

Kaarle Nordenstreng, University of Tampere

Herman Wasserman, University of Cape Town

Musawenkosi Ndlovu, University of Cape Town

Bob Wekesa, University of the Witwatersrand