The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr. Alan Ganoo, addressed the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue this Thursday, August 24, 2023 in Johannesburg.
The Head of Diplomacy is representing Mauritius at this conference, replacing Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth.
The conference is being held in conjunction with the BRICS Summit, and aims to foster political and economic rapprochement between this bloc and Africa, as well as emerging and developing countries.
The theme of the conference is “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism”.
At the outset, the Minister of Foreign Affairs praised the President of South Africa, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, for his initiative in engaging the African continent in this dialogue on a new world order, driven by a more inclusive multilateralism.
“The presence of the BRICS alongside Africa is a game-changer. It will undeniably contribute to an environment conducive to Africa’s development, based on a fair and equitable system of governance,” emphasized Minister Alan Ganoo.
According to the Minister, consultation between Africa and the BRICS bloc on issues of vital importance to developing countries relates to sustainable development, development financing, climate change, peace and security, the need for a rules-based multilateral system and the vulnerability of small island developing states, of which Mauritius is one.
In terms of economic growth, African countries can count on closer ties with the BRICS bloc to open up new opportunities in terms of access to larger markets, investment, technology transfer and cooperation.
“The BRICS can also deploy development financing, once the monopoly of the advanced countries”, the Minister argues.
In his view, the BRICS opens the way to a multipolar world and to the possibility of reforming the rules of international governance structures to better meet the aspirations of our populations.
“Our food security, our energy security and even the security of our peoples are often the first victims of global upheavals. We must therefore step up our collaboration with the BRICS so that we can influence the major political and economic decisions that affect our well-being and our common future”, declared the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade.
