BRICS has become a platform for Global South: PM Modi
Source: The Hindu | Original Published At: 2023-08-22 02:42:00 UTC
Key Points
- BRICS serves as platform for Global South challenges
- Summit to discuss multilateral system reform and development priorities
- First in-person BRICS meeting since 2019
- Expansion discussions include Iran, Bangladesh, and other developing economies
- Modi to participate in BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue
August 22, 2023 08:12 am | Updated 12:27 pm IST – New Delhi
The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) has become a platform for discussing the challenges faced by the Global South, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on August 22 before leaving on a four-day visit for South Africa and Greece. Mr. Modi will be in Johannesburg between August 22 and 24 for the BRICS summit, where he is scheduled to participate in the BRICS-Africa Outreach and the BRICS Plus Dialogue, and hold several bilateral meetings.
“BRICS has been pursuing a strong cooperation agenda across various sectors. We value that BRICS has become a platform for discussing and deliberating on issues of concern for the entire Global South, including development imperatives and reform of the multilateral system,” he said in a statement issued before his departure.
Leaving for South Africa to take part in the BRICS Summit being held in Johannesburg. I will also take part in the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue events. The Summit will give the platform to discuss issues of concern for the Global South and other areas of… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 22, 2023
The Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive at Waterkloof Air Force Base at around 1.45 p.m., South African Standard Time (3.5 hours behind IST). He will then attend the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue and the BRICS Leaders’ Retreat on Tuesday.
The 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg is the first in-person meeting of the grouping since 2019, when it was disrupted by COVID-19 pandemic. The Johannesburg meeting has additional significance as it will discuss the expansion of the grouping by including countries such as Iran, Bangladesh and other developing economies. “I look forward to interacting with a number of guest countries that have been invited to participate in this event,” said Mr. Modi. From Johannesburg, he will fly to Athens at the invitation of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Mr. Modi’s August 25 visit to Greece will be the first Prime Minister–level visit from India to Athens in four decades.
“Contacts between our two civilisations stretch back over two millennia. In modern times, our ties have been strengthened by shared values of democracy, rule of law and pluralism. Cooperation in diverse sectors such as trade and investment, defence and cultural and people-to-people contacts have been bringing our two countries together,” Mr. Modi said.