The 15th Brics Summit – held from August 22nd to 24th in Johannesburg, South Africa – consolidates the new distribution of global power. The assessment is by researcher Ana Tereza Marra, professor of international relations at the Federal University of ABC (UFABC).
In an interview granted to the Central do Brasil program this Friday (25), Marra highlighted the fact that the Summit reinforced the aspect of multipolarity. As the main result of the event, the member countries confirmed the expansion of the bloc, with the entry of six more nations: Argentina, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia.
“The Summit reinforces the number of countries that wanted to join the Brics. It reinforces that the Brics is a group that has drawn a lot of attention and has been relevant due to the possibility that it brings to try to forward demands from the countries of the global South. This Summit of the Brics reinforces the power of multipolarity, the ability to forward demands from the global south”, he considers.
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For her, the bloc offers the right answers to address the frustrations of several countries in the global South with international organizations that are more closely aligned with the United States and the European Union.
“These countries need development, they need to see themselves represented in the international institutions of power and they cannot see that. So, the Brics comes as this alternative”, he points out.
Regarding the incorporation of new countries, Ana noted that the most recent members have a line of convergence with the original countries of the bloc, which guarantees a more productive dialogue on common projects.
She pointed out that, despite its heterogeneous character, the group can achieve unity and reconcile the interests of radically anti-Western countries, such as Iran, with those more open to agreements, such as Brazil and India.
“The line of convergence between countries is the defense of sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, criticism of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the defense of internal solutions, that is, the defense of African solutions to African problems, for example “, he highlighted.
The researcher also assessed that Brazil’s historic demand for a permanent seat on the Security Council of the United Nations (UN) is still far from being fulfilled, but considered that there was an evolution in getting countries like China and Russia to sign a commitment around this possibility.
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“It is a very difficult situation. The Security Council reform agenda has not been set. There are no discussions at the UN that give indications that this agenda will be taken forward. What has been achieved now is the inclusion in the Brics declaration that supports the reform of the UN, including the Security Council, and supports that Brazil, India and South Africa have a more relevant role within the UN”, he concluded.
The full interview is available in this Friday’s (25th) edition of Central do Brasil on the Brasil de Fato YouTube channel.
And there’s more!
More about BRICS
With the entry of new members, Brics now holds almost 37% of global GDP. For Lula, now the bloc can negotiate on equal terms with groups like the G7.
As for the War in Ukraine, members of the bloc assume a neutral or non-aligned position in relation to the conflict in Eastern Europe.
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The Central do Brasil program is a production of Brasil de Fato. It is broadcast from Monday to Friday, live, always at 1 pm, by Rede TVT and partner broadcasters throughout the country.
Editing: Rodrigo Chagas
