31 March 2023
The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, in partnership with the Premier of Mpumalanga, Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, will host the first roadshow dedicated to South Africa’s chairing of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) on Tuesday, 4 April 2023.
The purpose of the roadshows is to raise public awareness around the importance of South Africa’s role as Chair of BRICS for 2023 and the benefits thereof.
It is expected that more roadshows will be held throughout the country for the duration of South Africa’s chairing of BRICS.
The Mpumalanga roadshow also seeks to promote tourism as one of the features that the province is known for, such as the Kruger National Park, God’s Window, Three Rondavels, Sudwala Caves and the World Heritage Site, Makhonjwa Mountains.
It will further promote trade and investment opportunities in the infrastructure development, agriculture, mining, and energy sectors that Mpumalanga offers, for economic development and sustainable job creation initiatives.
South Africa is the Chair of BRICS for the year 2023 under the theme: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism”. The theme emphasises the continued value of BRICS as a partnership of leading emerging markets and developing countries providing leadership and momentum towards global growth, sustainable development, and inclusion of the global South in the world system.
The theme informs South Africa’s priorities for 2023, namely developing a partnership towards an equitable Just Transition; transforming education and skills development for the future; unlocking opportunities through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement; strengthening post-pandemic socio-economic recovery and the attainment of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and strengthening multilateralism, including working towards real reform of global governance institutions and strengthening the meaningful participation of women in peace processes.
South Africa previously chaired the organisation in 2013 and 2018. South Africa joined the important bloc of emerging economies in December 2010, in line with the country’s foreign policy to strengthen South-South relations.
South Africa’s membership of BRICS has contributed to further expanding BRICS’ geographic reach, representatively, and inclusiveness and the membership of BRICS considers its systemic importance as an economic power, as the only African G20 member, its driving role as champion for integration and development initiatives in Africa, as well as its diversified economy and well-developed infrastructure. President Cyril Ramaphosa will host the 15th BRICS Summit in August 2023.”