Each country has its own "story"

The 15th BRICS Summit opened at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 22, with the participation of leaders from member countries, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and host country South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the conference in person but will deliver a speech online and has authorized his top diplomat to represent him.

Mr. Ramaphosa also extended invitations to more than 60 heads of state and government from African and developing countries from other parts of the world . The summit will take place over three days, from August 22-24.

On the final day of the conference, a meeting in the style of "Friends of BRICS" will be held.

World - BRICS Summit: Each country has its own story. — The BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – account for a quarter of the global economy. Photo: Jerusalem Post

The five BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – will each advance their own agenda at the Summit to achieve their foreign policy goals and expand their influence within the group and globally.

According to experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the BRICS countries have set specific goals for their annual summit.

South Africa plans to consolidate its leading role on the African continent; Russia hopes to garner support for its campaign in Ukraine, while China intends to further expand its group to assert its influence over countries in the Middle East and South Asia.

On the other hand, India aims to counterbalance China's influence within the group by maintaining its leadership role in the Southern Hemisphere. And Brazil, under the leadership of President Lula da Silva, will strive to end the country's global isolation and restore its status as a world power.

Asserting leadership position in the "African continent"

South Africa is hosting the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, themed “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Rapid Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism”.

Part of the significance of hosting the tournament is to affirm “African bloc’s leadership position on the international stage” and to demonstrate that it is one of the “most efficient economies on the continent,” said Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, Director of the Africa Program at CSIS, during a panel discussion with BRICS experts last week.

World - BRICS Summit: Each country has its own — Chinese President Xi Jinping was warmly welcomed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa upon his arrival at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on August 21, 2023. Photo: Xinhua

Mr. Dizolele said that South Africa would also be "enthusiastic" about continuing discussions on a common currency for cross-border trade among BRICS countries.

According to Dizolele, the BRICS summit is taking place against the backdrop of tensions between the African nation and the US over allegations that it is supplying weapons to Moscow. These allegations arose after a Russian ship was spotted in South African waters allegedly carrying weapons, and in another instance, a Russian aircraft was seen landing in South Africa, allegedly collecting weapons.

Meanwhile, the African nation's stance on the conflict in Ukraine – its lack of condemnation of Russia – will remain a key part of the discussions, as United Nations representatives are expected to attend this Summit.

An opportunity to demonstrate strength and influence.

China views BRICS as a way to expand its global influence, as the bloc's annual summit offers a unique opportunity to strengthen cooperation and boost trade relations among emerging economies.

“We’ve seen increasing signs and statements from Beijing that they definitely want to see BRICS expand,” said Brian Hart, a member of CSIS’s China Power Project. “From China’s perspective, expanding BRICS to include other developing countries would give them more opportunities to project their power and influence in key regions.”

According to Hart, Beijing will also try to persuade BRICS members to oppose Washington, particularly on the issue of unilateral sanctions, a key focus for both China and Russia in their fight against American influence.

Beijing views BRICS as "an opportunity to gain some leverage globally in pushing back against the U.S.", Hart said.

A key part of Beijing's agenda will also be strengthening China-South Africa relations and expanding the Asian giant's presence on the African continent.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to pay a state visit and meet with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

Maintain a cautious stance.

Much of India's agenda for the BRICS Summit will be in contrast to China's, as both economic powerhouses seek to establish influence in the Southern Hemisphere.

"India is unlikely to support any significant proposal that would genuinely upset the U.S. or Washington's allies," said Katherine Hadda, an India expert at CSIS.

Therefore, India is also expected to maintain a "indifferent" stance towards the idea of a common BRICS currency, Hadda said.

Regarding membership, experts expect India to support the statements made at the Summit concerning BRICS expansion. However, Delhi will maintain a cautious stance to ensure that BRICS does not become too heavily influenced by China, Hadda noted.

She said India is in a good position to negotiate any agreement within BRICS due to its growing economy and close ties with the West.

“India has several negotiating advantages at the Summit. They have partnerships that BRICS members, particularly China and Russia, currently lack, such as with the US and other regional partners.”

Promote more achievable goals.

Instead of pursuing challenging economic goals, such as a common currency, Russia will pursue "much easier-to-achieve" political objectives, which could be simplified through the BRICS alliance, according to Maria Snegovaya, a Russia and Eurasia expert at CSIS.

“Russia will try to use it (the BRICS Summit) in its propaganda efforts, attempting to promote Russian interests in Ukraine, especially in light of the recent international peace conference led by Ukraine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which focused particularly on access to the Southern Hemisphere and seeking a peaceful end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” Snegovaya said at a BRICS discussion.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, representing President Putin at the BRICS summit, is expected to garner support for Russia's stance on the conflict in Ukraine, particularly from African countries, many of which have already expressed support for Moscow.

Russia is expected to support the expansion of the bloc to counter the growing global influence of the United States. A key theme on Russia's agenda will also be boosting trade relations with South Africa by increasing investment in the African nation, according to Snegovaya.

"There is still quite active economic cooperation that is gradually becoming apparent between Russia and a number of South African companies and organizations," she said.

The desire to defeat the dominance of the US dollar.

For Brazil, this BRICS summit is an opportunity to regain its "glory" as a serious world leader and promote an independent foreign policy, free from US influence.

According to Ryan Berg, a CSIS expert on the Americas, Brazil is expected to provide a major boost to a new BRICS currency and the expansion of the bloc.

“Brazilian President Lula da Silva has undertaken a diplomatic tour around the world, and at each stop in the Southern Hemisphere, he seems to have mentioned his desire to defeat the dominance of the US dollar and switch to trading in other currencies,” Berg said.

However, when it came to expanding BRICS, Mr. Lula seemed unenthusiastic. According to him, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry opposes this because they fear losing membership benefits due to expansion.

In an effort to become a serious player in the world once again, Brazil also hopes to play a mediating role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, despite its limited influence in that region of the world.

According to Berg, Brazil could position itself as an agricultural powerhouse at the Summit after Russia withdrew from the UN-brokered Black Sea grain deal.

Overall, the South American nation's stance on the Summit aligns with Brazil's foreign policy position toward the world, heralding the beginning of a new multipolar era, the expert on the Americas said .

Minh Duc (According to Al Arabiya, TASS)

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