Why BRICS Matters in an Era of Global Disorder, Says South African Envoy

Source: Aaj Tak | Original Published At: 2026-09-10 12:17:02 UTC

Key Points

• South African High Commissioner to India Anil Sooklal spoke at an India Today BRICS Roundtable session titled 'Africa Rising: BRICS' Next Frontier'.
• A BRICS Summit is scheduled for 12 and 13 September in New Delhi.
• Sooklal said BRICS' importance should be measured by what member countries achieve together, not only by the number of meetings.
• He described the current international environment as one of global disorder and highlighted challenges facing institutions such as the United Nations, WTO, WHO, and UNESCO.
• Reform of the global order, especially the United Nations Security Council, was identified as a major BRICS-related issue, though progress has been slow.
• Sooklal said BRICS member countries are working on alternative payment systems, while noting that reduced dependence on the dollar is part of broader changes in the international financial system.
• He argued that bilateral disputes, including India-China tensions, should not be brought into the BRICS agenda and that the group should focus on issues with shared consensus.