SA ready to work with new BRICS members: Pandor

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International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor says South Africa stands ready to work with new BRICS members.

The BRICS bloc compromises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, with five other new members joining; Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

BRICS was originally established to highlight investment opportunities and evolved into a cohesive geopolitical bloc with their governments meeting annually at formal summits and coordinating multilateral policies since 2009.

Bilateral relations among BRICS are conducted mainly based on non-interference, equality, and mutual benefit.

Pandor says the bloc is an important global platform and urged member states to maintain momentum across all pillars of cooperation.

The five BRICS countries have invited 15 other countries to the Foreign Ministers Meeting in Russia which is currently under way.

Pandor will use the opportunity to have bilateral discussions with some of her counterparts from BRICS and partner countries.

The meeting is in preparation for the 16th BRICS Summit that will be held in Russia on 22-24 October 2024.

What the BRICS summit will give to the world:

BRICS foreign ministers meet in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod. South Africa is represented by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor. Photo: Russian MFA. #sabcnews #brics pic.twitter.com/QXgWdmO27N

— Khayelihle Rafiq Percy Khumalo-James Jnr (@KhayaJames) June 10, 2024