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Live Blog: Coverage of Day Two of the 15th BRICS Summit

by Luqmaan Rawat
written by Luqmaan Rawat
Heads of state giving their closing remarks at the end of day one Photo Zahid Jadwat

After an eventful first day, world leaders are set to attend a closed plenary where they will be undoubtedly discussing the relationship between BRICS and the African continent. An open plenary will also be held following that and then a press conference. Join us as we bring you the latest updates directly from the venue.

 

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Update: The ANC has used the BRICS Summit to have nilateral meetings with other leaders that are also in the country. This morning, the ANC, Cosatu and the SAPC hosted Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel at Freedom Park, Pretoria.

 

 

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Update [12:50]: The session is now closed to the media.

 

Update: Jinping: The international rules must be written and upheld jointly by all countries based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Rather than dictated by those with the strongest muscles. BRICS countries should world towards multilateralism, stick to solidarity and oppose division.

 

Update: Jinping: BRICS countries need champion spirit of inclusiveness and advocate peaceful coexistence and harmony between us nations. We should respect all modernisation parts that each country chooses on its own.

 

Update: Jinping: We BRICS countries should be fellow companions on the journey of development and revitalisation and oppose decoupling and supply chain disruption as well as economic cohesion. We should bolster economic trade and financial exchanges.

 

Update [12:27]: Chinese President Xi Jinping starts his address by saying the BRICS Summit comes at a crucial time. A time when the world is entering “a new period of turbulence and transformation”.

“We should always bear in mind our founding purpose of strengthening ourselves through unity, act on a strong sense of responsibility, enhance cooperation across the board and promote high quality development.”

 

Update: Modi: India fully supports the expansion of BRICS memberships. We welcome moving forward on this based on consensus. BRICS will be breaking barriers, revitalising economies, inspiring innovations, creating opportunities and shaping the future.

 

Update: Modi is open to expanding BRICS in different forms. Creating a BRICS space consortium, an education consortium and a skills mapping exercise to find out every country strength and weakness and ways to complement each other.

 

Update [12:10]: Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi addresses the plenary now. He praises the New Development Bank saying it is changing the lives of the ordinary people.

“The last two decades have been a long and magnificent journey for BRICS. We have had many achievements on this journey. Our New Development Bank is playing an important role in the development of the countries in the global South.  We have created a financial safety net.”

 

Updates: Putin says he welcomes the organisation of a sperate ministerial on women affiars by South Africa. It is high time women’s social and economic affairs should be addressed.

 

Update: Putin: We believe it is high time that we establish a BRICS Commission on transport that would not only deal on North-South projects but in broader terms, it will deal with logistics and transport corridors development both regional and international. Should the partners agree to that, the Russian side could work on this idea.

Putin announces that Russia will chair BRICS next year in October and plans to have over 200 public and political events. It will take place in the city of Kazan.

 

Update [11:50]: Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the plenary via video.

“Our group of five countries has rightly proven to be a credible entity on the global arena with ever growing influence in global affairs. We deal with the most pressing issues.”

 

Update: Speaking on climate change, it is a tough challenge to fight while so many developing countries are having to deal with more major issues like poverty, hunger and violence, says Da Silva.

 

Update: Da Silva says in the last three decades, we have seen inequality grow tremendously. There needs to be an international financial system that doesn’t feed the inequality.

“It is inadmissible that developing countries should be penalised with interest rates that are eight times higher than the ones charged in rich countries.”

 

Update: Brazilian President, Lula da Silva addresses the plenary. In his opening remarks, he acknowledges Johannesburg as a city that was integral to fighting Apartheid and says it inspires them to fight all forms of discrimination and inequality. He labels BRICS as a forum to discuss peace and safety. Brazil is also ready to contribute to efforts that will lead to peace. Da Silva says it is unacceptable that more than $2 trillion goes to funding wars while so many are living in poverty.

“We all suffer the consequences of the war. The most vulnerable population in the developing countries are the ones that are hit more in an unproportional way. The Ukraine war shows the limitation of the UN Security Council. Many of the conflicts and crises do not have the same attention.”

Update: National Youth Development Agency Chairperson, Asanda Luwaca delivers an address to the plenary.

“We believe that BRICS countries in general and young people should use their collective strengths to prioritise the development paradigm.  Using it as a guiding principle as we continue intra-BRICS cooperation across areas such as trade, education, skills development and training, economic participation and transformation, health and wellbeing and social cohesion.

Update: Ramaphosa: We are confident that this 15th BRICS Summit will in the end enrich and inspire our work towards the achievement to a much more humane global community. This is what BRICS is all about and what it is committed to achieving.

 

Update: Ramaphosa: Over the past decades, the Bloc has been a major driver for global growth, for global trade and investment as well. BRICS stands for solidarity and for progress. BRICS stands for inclusivity and for a more equitable order. BRICS also stands for sustainable development. We are an inclusive formation of developing and emerging economies that are seeking to work together to benefit from our rich histories, cultures and systems to advance the prosperity of the peoples of our countries.

 

Update [11:20]: Heads of state, their delegations and ministers have taken their seats for the open plenary session.

 

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Update [10:20]: Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, will leave Saudi Arabia today to attend the BRICS Summit on behalf of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

 

Update [10:10]: Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived at Sandton Convention Centre for the start of day two. He is also greeted by Ramaphosa.

 

Update [10:00]: President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has arrived at the Sandton Convention Centre for day two of the 15th BRICS Summit. Before the Summit started on Wednesday morning, Modi met with Ramaphosa for a bilateral meeting.

Luqmaan Rawat is a DUT graduate who has a passion for writing, life, gaming and sports. Fascinated by the world, he sets out to write about world events in a hope to bring about some change.

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