Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ©Alexander Shcherbak/TASS
Russia finds understanding of the causes of the Ukrainian conflict with most Asian, Latin American and African countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.
According to the top diplomat, three-quarters of the world's countries that retain their dignity and independence have not joined the anti-Russian sanctions.
"They have taken a balanced position on the conflict in Ukraine, which was a consequence of the long-standing crisis of European security," Lavrov told a meeting of the United Russia Party commission on international cooperation and support of compatriots abroad,
"We are actively explaining all the factors that ultimately contributed to this situation. We find understanding in our regular contacts with countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America".
Lavrov noted that against this background Moscow was actively developing ties with these countries in all areas. "We are consistently strengthening our strategic partnership with China; today we have the best relations with Beijing in our history. In parallel, the relations with India are developing progressively and very richly," the Foreign Minister stressed.
According to the top diplomat, close and multifaceted cooperation with Southeast Asia is progressing, relations with most Asian countries, as well as Russian-African cooperation, are generally strengthening despite Western pressure.
Russia-Africa summit to be boosted by parliamentary forum in Moscow — Lavrov
An international parliamentary forum with the participation of African partners, scheduled for March in Moscow, will give a significant impetus to the second Russia-Africa summit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.
"We are working with Africans to fill with content the second Russia-Africa summit scheduled for late July in St. Petersburg.
The international parliamentary forum with the participation of African partners scheduled for March in Moscow should give a significant impetus to this preparatory work and the strengthening of contacts between our countries," the top diplomat told a meeting of the United Russia Party commission on international cooperation and support of compatriots abroad.
Lavrov also noted that Russia was constantly promoting foreign policy coordination with African partners through foreign ministries. "Just recently I returned from another trip to the African continent. We will be ready to host African guests, our colleagues from foreign ministries, such contacts are also planned," he added.
As Roscongress previously reported, the second Russia-Africa summit and economic forum is scheduled for July 26 to 29 in St. Petersburg. The first event was held October 22 to 24, 2019 in Sochi under the slogan ‘For Peace, Security and Development’.
BRICS expansion to yield global gains for Russia, China — South African scholar
The expansion of the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) will change the rules of the game in the world and strengthen the global positions of Russia and China, Dr. Omololu Fagbadebo, of the Department of Public Management, Law and Economics at the Durban University of Technology, told TASS in an interview.
"The expansion of members will boost the power play in the UN and global politics in general. Russia and China will be the beneficiaries of this expansion adventure in global politics," he believes.
Since its emergence BRICS has become "a paradigm shift in the global economic and political environment," Fagbadebo said. "Politically, BRICS is a common forum that could bolster Russia and China’s positions in the Security Council of the United Nations."
"As veto powers, they are sure of a solid support base," as witnessed in the situation over Ukraine. An expansion of BRICS "will challenge the present world order and increase hostility along the ideological line, akin to the Cold War era. Developing nations recruited to the bloc will have security against any repercussions from the Western powers," Fagbadebo said.
Additional members from Africa, probably one from each regional groupings in the continent will effectively secure African votes in favor of Russia and China at the UN, he forecasts.
"Russia and China can use their economic and political influence to attract new members to the BRICS group," he believes.
Military support from Russia, Fagbadebo remarked, and "more penetrating economic attractions, as China is doing in its loans and grants portfolio in Africa, will attract poorer African countries," especially those that do not share Western values.
South Africa’s place in BRICS
Fagbadebo is certain that the expansion of BRICS will also benefit South Africa, but the degree of these benefits depends on the influence of new members in the system of international relations.
"South Africa is the rank of the top economy in the continent and a regional leader. It could harness its power within the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) to lure more members from the region and across it to play a continental power hegemon in the expanded BRICS. But then, Pretoria’s domestic politics and foreign policy towards other African countries would need a reassessment," he said.
On January 1, 2023, South Africa took over as the BRICS group chair. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the group had an important role to play in spearheading the process in the UN and other international organizations of creating new decision-making mechanisms in order to establish a more inclusive, fair and sustainable world order. Ramaphosa believes that the BRICS group should lead the process of reforming the entire international architecture in the interests of most countries of the world.
TASS has learned from diplomatic circles in the South African capital that negotiations on a possible expansion of BRICS will be held in the coming months. Algeria, Argentina and Iran have already applied for membership. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt have declared their interest in joining this group.
On September 26, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that the BRICS countries had begun work on the association’s possible expansion. However, earlier he pointed out that quick decisions on this matter should not be expected. As Ryabkov explained, the BRICS participants would have to reach "an understanding regarding the basic parameters of expansion," which was an "intricate and delicate" process. Large-scale consultations within the association are expected.
In 2006, Brazil, Russia, India and China created the BRIC group. South Africa joined it in 2011, turning it into BRICS.
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