Minister in the Presidency Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma believes there was a concerted effort by Western powers to dismantle BRICS formation and maintain the status quo where global superpowers call the shots in the world economy.
“Never listen to these narratives which are designed to reproduce patterns of domination and imperialism,” Dlamini-Zuma told delegates at the BRICS Youth Summit in Durban on Tuesday.
“They want to control the world at all costs. We rely on young people to be able to drive this BRICS train.”
The youth summit is a platform for dialogue for delegates from BRICS member states with the objective to afford participants a chance to share ideas for a concrete plan for cooperation in science, economy, mass media and humanitarian.
The event forms part of BRICS series and sessions leading up to the BRICS summit to be held in August.
Dlamini-Zuma also raised concerns that despite Africa boasting 60% of the world’s arable land, it still imports most of its food.
“This picture must change. We must be able to produce our own food and be able to export some of it to other countries,” she said.
The hosting of the BRICS main summit in August has put South Africa under a political quagmire after a warrant for the arrest of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC wants Putin arrested should he physically attend the summit, so that he can be prosecuted for what it calls the unlawful invasion of Ukraine.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has already made it known that government has taken a non-aligned stance on the Ukraine-Russian conflict.
According to Ramaphosa, if South African authorities arrest Putin, it will be a declaration of war against Russia.
The governing ANC has sentimental and political ties with Russia dating decades back during the struggle against apartheid.
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