Government Confirms It Will Continue to Work With BRICS Nations Amid Russia Ukraine War, SA for It: "Good"

• South Africa has announced it will continue its work with BRICS member states Brazil, Russia, China and India amid the conflict in Ukraine
• InvestSA, SA's One-Stop Shop for international investors, announced the decision at the fourth edition of the SA Investment Conference
• South Africans were vocal about the move online, with many keen observers expressing their unwavering support for the government

JOHANNESBURG - The South African government is not averse to continuing its work with BRICS member states regardless of which country chairs the association of the five major emerging economies.

Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa's governments have met annually at formal summits since 2010 after the induction of the latter. According to a SABC News report, SA will chair BRICS summits from next year.

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Russia's invasion of Ukraine has dwindled the Kremlin's hold on vital modern financial systems. However, the country will not be without a significant influence over the large stash of money amassed by the BRICS partners to weaken the grip of Western-dominated establishments, BusinessInsider reported.

Sadick Jaffer, Chief Director for State-owned InvestSA, said frequent, focused work needed to be carried out among the BRICS states despite the conflict in Ukraine.

In his address at the launch of the fourth edition of the SA Investment Conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Jaffer emphasised that cooperation between BRICS member states had increased in the past several years.

"The association has a subcommittee and comprises various subcommittees that have a working relationship on trade and investments. South Africa will oversee those processes after taking over the chairmanship," said Jaffer.

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"Work has not ceased between the countries as we continue to work together to pinpoint prospects for trade and investment. Work has also been done to ensure there is the ease of doing business," he added.

Locals in support of move

South Africans did not hold back in sharing their thoughts around the announcement. Many keen observers shared that the move was a welcome one and spoke volumes of the country's conviction despite the recent backlash.

@Siyanda Kunene Mtimandair wrote:

"As we should. We can't be America's puppets on everything."

@Pule Jucca Molefeson said:

"Wise decision. The world is shifting to the east now."

@Vee Uche added:

"Good decision but [President Cyril] Ramaphosa must be removed there."

Diplomat quizzes whether Mandela would've sat idly by as Russia bombards Ukraine

Elsewhere, Briefly News recently reported that Ukraine's ambassador to South Africa, Liubov Abravitova, has questioned Ramaphosa over one of the continent's biggest economy's responses to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

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Speaking at the Cape Town Press Club, Abravitova said Moscow's history of helping the southern African country fight against the apartheid regime is emerging as an excuse to ignore the monstrosities afoot in Kyiv.

Noting the current state of affairs, after high-level talks towards a ceasefire collapsed, she said Ukraine was under heavy shelling from opposition forces.

Source: Briefly News