H.E. LU Kun, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana has reiterated that the BRICS group of nations, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa remains committed to supporting Africa’s peace and development.
In a historic development at the recently concluded 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg announced the addition of six new full member countries to their ranks, effective from January 1st, 2024. The new member countries include Egypt and Ethiopia as the African countries as well as Argentina, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
According to H.E. LU Kun, the decision to expand the BRICS alliance underscores the organization’s commitment to fostering global cooperation and addressing pressing global challenges like strengthening support for Africa’s peace and development.
He reiterated that one of the key highlights of this expansion is the renewed commitment to support African initiatives and their dedication to assisting African states in enhancing their capacities for conflict resolution and peacekeeping efforts
“The BRICS reiterate that the principle “African solutions to African problems” should continue to serve as the basis for conflict resolution. In this regard, the BRICS support African peace efforts on the continent by strengthening the relevant capacities of African States. The BRICS remain concerned at the situation in the Sahel region, in particular in Niger,” he shared.
He also highlighted the economic challenges faced by many African countries, such as high debt levels and the impact of external economic shocks.
To address these issues, he indicated that “one of the instruments to collectively address debt vulnerabilities is through the implementation of the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatment, with the participation of official bilateral creditors, private creditors and Multilateral Development Banks in line with the principle of joint action and fair burden-sharing.”
The BRICS also reaffirm their support for the African Union Agenda 2063 and initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). They emphasize the significance of issues like industrialization, infrastructure development, food security, agricultural modernization, healthcare, and climate change mitigation for Africa’s sustainable development.
This expansion of the BRICS alliance promises opportunities for Africa to shift away from its historical role as a commodity exporter toward higher productivity and value addition.
