The Minister in the Presidency, Ms Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has today, Monday, 24 July 2023, hosted a Friends of BRICS National Security Advisors Meeting with her BRICS Security counterparts, in Sandton.

This meeting is convened on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Leaders’ Summit constituted by all Security Ministers of the BRICS countries. The Friends of BRICS countries who attended this meeting are Belarus, Burundi, Cuba, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The friends of BRICS are a combination of countries who have expressed an interest in joining BRICS, those who chair prominent institutions of the Global South and those invited as per the Chair’s prerogative and henceforth invited as per the consensus reached between the host and fellow BRICS members.

In welcoming the delegates to the Friends of BRICS Meeting, the Minister said, “it is a historic meeting because it is a first physical meeting after 3-years of COVID-19 pandemic and a meeting that includes the friends of BRICS to focus on matters of common interest and mutual benefit. This will generate enduring partnerships resulting in enhanced global development and strengthened global resilience and global peace”

She further said, “We must reinforce the way we do things through both the BRICS and the Multi-Lateral system of the United Nations, as we deal with challenges such as counter-terrorism, trans-national crimes and cybersecurity”.

For the rest of the day, the BRICS members held several bi-laterals amongst themselves and friends of BRICS countries on various other issues and interests that concern the individual countries. It is expected that such engagements will continue into the future on matters of common interest between these countries.

The Minister concluded that the friends of BRICS platform offers an opportunity for a mutually inclusive, secure and environment, which is conducive for global peace and economic development. “where a child of Africa can develop and have access to opportunities like a child of China, India, Brazil and Russia and other countries under conditions of meaningful cooperation” she said.

Media enquiries:

Sipho Mbhele

Ministry Spokesperson

Cell: 083 625 3446

Source: Government of South Africa