BRICS national security advisors met in Sandton on Monday to discuss ways to strengthen collaboration on security matters including information and intelligence-sharing.
The meeting, hosted by Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, featured BRICS counterparts and countries interested in joining the global power bloc.
These were countries that expressed interest in joining BRICS, those that chair prominent institutions of the global south, and those that President Cyril Ramaphosa invited.
Belarus, Burundi, Cuba, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates representatives participated in the proceedings, building up to the BRICS summit in August.
Ntshavheni dubbed the gathering a historic occasion given that it was the first physical meeting after three years since the dawn of the Covic-19 pandemic.
“This will generate enduring partnerships resulting in enhanced global development, strengthened global resilience, and global peace,” said Ntshavheni.
She said the participating countries must reinforce the way “we do things” through both the BRICS and the multilateral UN system.
In response to threats of terrorism, transnational crime, and cybersecurity, this was necessary, she said.
The meeting also took place on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Leaders’ Summit attended by security ministers of the BRICS countries.
Several bilateral meetings also took place among the BRICS countries and friends on various other issues and interests that concern the individual countries.
“It is expected that such engagements will continue into the future on matters of common interest between these countries,” Ntshavheni said in a post-statement.
She said the Friends of BRICS platform offered an opportunity for a mutually inclusive, secure, and peaceful environment conducive to global peace and economic development.
“Where a child of Africa can develop and have access to opportunities like a child of China, India, Brazil and Russia and other countries under conditions of meaningful cooperation.”
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