Workingforthe Continent

As a BRICS member, South Africa champions the interests of the African continent as a whole

As the only African country in the BRICS, South Africa is playing a bigger and more meaningful role in the group on behalf of the broader African continent. Recently, South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, spoke to reporter in Beijing on her views of how South Africa and other African countries can benefit from the BRICS, and how the BRICS will help address the problem of youth unemployment and empower women in Africa.

Chinafrica: Could you describe the role of South Africa in the BRICS? nomaindiya Mfeketo: We are playing a meaningful role in the BRICS. South Africa is the only African country in the BRICS. So whatever we are doing, we are doing for the broader continent. We are talking about [more than a] billion people in Africa. We are part of what the BRICS created as we are a full member since 2011. All our aspirations as a continent and as a country have been included in what the BRICS [has achieved] in a short space of time. [For example] the development of [the] BRICS New Development Bank, [and] you see the development of the regional bank that is hosted in South Africa. Clearly, this is why we want to be part of the BRICS. The similar values are pulling each other [along] as developing countries. And here [in the BRICS] at least there is comfort that when we talk about certain developmental programs, we do have a sort of financially friendly mechanism that allows development, more than going to borrow money that you won’t be able to pay or [which has] huge interest implications.

Africa has a vast number of youth - many of whom are unemployed. what role can the BRICS play in helping address this social dilemma? I think each [member] country went into the BRICS with the challenges they wanted to deal with in their [own] countries. For us, the question of coming from that particular history [of apartheid], the question of unemployment, poverty and inequality is key. If there is one problem that needs to be solved in our country, it’s that problem [of youth unemployment]. The majority of the age group, when we talk about unemployment, is the youth. How [does] the BRICS accommodate that? We have agreed to create sectors in the BRICS, and the

youth sector [is] a very active sector. Last year, they had the BRICS Youth Forum in Russia, which had very good outcomes, where we talked about industrialization and skills development. There are many young stars all over BRICS countries, in India, here in China, Russia, who are learning skills. [The same thing] was happening before with individual partners that we have bilateral relations with, but now with the BRICS, that has been strengthened, and the numbers have grown of the skills that are developed from other BRICS countries for South Africa.

How can BRICS members collectively deal with the current wave of anti-globalization and protectionism that is becoming more pronounced? I think that may only be coming sharply to the fore now. [Anti-globalization and protectionism] are not really a new thing and it was there for some time. I think the countries that decided, at some stage, to come together to form the BRICS are countries with [the] same values. It is countries that support each other and want to create an alternative to assist each other, the developing countries, and to share expertise, so that we can all develop.

when meeting with other BRICS leaders at the recent g20 Summit in Hangzhou, President Xi Jinping said members should enhance coordination to make emerging-market economies and developing countries play a bigger role in international affairs. From a practical sense how do you see this happening? [It needs] the whole proper coordination of our macroeconomic plans. As different countries, they will have their own plans. Part of the global community needs that sensitivity that you have [of] communities that are