African experts expect opportunity to strengthen voice of developing nations

(Form left) Philani Mthembu, executive director of the Institute for Global Dialogue associated with the University of South Africa; David Monyae, director of the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg Confucius Institute; Fulufhelo Netswera, executive dean on the faculty of management sciences and head of the BRICS Research Institute at Durban University of Technology. (PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

With BRICS expected to consider membership of additional countries at the upcoming 15th BRICS Summit, experts said the grouping should come up with clear modes for expansion and discuss its commitment to development amid geopolitical uncertainties.

Countries including Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Argentina, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates and Iran have applied for membership in BRICS, whose current members are the major emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The summit will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from Aug 22 to 24.

Philani Mthembu, executive director of the Institute for Global Dialogue associated with the University of South Africa, said the summit should consider modes of expansion not limited to immediate full membership.

He suggested that the group formalize the idea of BRICS dialogue partners, which would be invited to take part in the group's summits.

"Expansion shouldn't be limited to an immediate full membership; it could institutionalize the various outreach programs seen since 2013," Mthembu said.

David Monyae, director of the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg Confucius Institute, said membership criteria should involve looking at each applicant's economy and ensuring fair representation of continents.

Monyae said expansion would strengthen the voice of developing countries as well as bring new ideas to the table on development and climate change.

It would also promote a global shift in how countries relate, moving away from the United States-led post-World War II world order, particularly regarding issues such as the US dollar's dominance, he added.

Monyae said expansion of BRICS would ensure a multiplicity of currencies in the global basket, which would offer countries more opportunities as well as alternative voices and funding sources.

"I believe it will make the developed countries listen more carefully," he said.

"The world will start experiencing balancing of power because the United States will not pull the weight that it's pulling currently and it won't be as reckless domestically in terms of overborrowing."

Increased membership might also compel the US to stop the use of sanctions and abuse of the institutions of global governance.

Mthembu said he believes the expansion of BRICS would signal further movement toward a multipolar world order.

"BRICS countries do not like the unipolar world order. They believe that each of the regions has an important voice in global affairs," he said.

"An expansion, whether a conservative approach or a much stronger approach of admitting full membership, will have an important impact, and it will be a catalyst toward an increasingly multipolar world order," Mthembu added.

Fulufhelo Netswera, executive dean on the faculty of management sciences and head of the BRICS Research Institute at Durban University of Technology, said it would be highly speculative to suggest the criteria that should be used for new membership.

However, "one could think about the following as potential membership requirements: a demand that a member should not wage war against another unless and until the organization has exhausted all means at resolving the problem through peaceful means", he said.

He also suggested requiring "that no member country should engage in unfair economic practices in the form of excessive importation or exportation taxation, and that members who violate the fundamental principles will have their membership revoked".

Netswera said that BRICS nations contribute a combined 31.5 percent of the world's GDP, a figure that the International Monetary Fund expects to rise to 50 percent by 2030.

Should BRICS expand, new members could call for the name to be changed to reflect the additional economies, Netswera said.

Amid geopolitical challenges, BRICS can play a very important balancing role in ensuring its own interests as well as those of the developing Global South, he added.

Reform of the United Nations and its Security Council, the IMF and the World Bank is also expected to be high on the agenda of the BRICS summit, Netswera said.

"The post-World War II (Bretton Woods) world order has not guaranteed the liberties and freedoms of those in poorer nations, but has presided over their exploitation," he said.

"This reform should enable all nations of the world to have a voice on global affairs, even if it might be disproportionately organized."

Monyae said BRICS should align its core issues with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union's Agenda 2063 to lift people out of poverty.

This could be achieved through agriculture, education, empowerment of people, infrastructure development, health and being able to communicate among themselves, he said."We need to ... look at other areas that bring these countries together, like having an understanding on climate change, green financing and the environment."

Monyae said BRICS countries should invest in data technology.

"There is a new form of colonialism and imperialism that comes with high-tech, where all our data is stored in California. We have no access to buy back our own data. We need to lessen the dominance of one power. We need to have BRICS collaborating on these core new areas of development focusing on science and technology," he said.

Mthembu said there is a need for the BRICS summit to reinvigorate and add momentum to the development agenda, noting that the UN's 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development has been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

"They should come up with very concrete measures, especially that are related to Africa, like development of regional value chains, investing in Africa's manufacturing capacity, strengthening the trade agenda within BRICS and furthering economic cooperation."

Ndumiso Mlilo in South Africa contributed to this story.

edithmutethya@chinadaily.com.cn