On Tuesday, leaders of some of the world’s most populous countries will gather for a summit in Johannesburg. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa want to regain strength in the so-called Brics group – which is supposed to show a new geopolitical force in world politics.
– Brics is an association of countries whose economies did very well, but their agenda is to find an alternative to Western dominance, says SVT’s Africa correspondent Johan Ripås in Morgonstudion.
China intends to take off Bric’s “full-fledged rival” to the G7 industrial pact, writes the Financial Times. Earlier this year, international statistics could show that the countries had overtaken the G7 countries in annual GDP. The five countries will also discuss the possibility of a trade currency that will compete with the US dollar.
Putin is absent
Meanwhile, Russia’s war of invasion of Ukraine rests like a dark shadow over the summit. Not least for the host country South Africa, which risks being hit hard by the conflict surrounding grain exports across the Black Sea.
Russia will also be represented during the summit by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. President Vladimir Putin is attending via link, as he is unable to travel to South Africa due to an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
On the other hand, the Brics group will be low on possible condemnation, says Johan Ripås. Brics wants to be an economic alliance and avoids politics.
– You are much clearer in your choice of words towards the West, towards the financial institutions. But when it comes to Russia, you almost become academics, with very neat formulations where you don’t take Russia’s side, but don’t condemn either.