FEATURE
*Writer: Ashraf Patel
BRICS backs SA’s agenda G
lobal cooperation
challenges, including
support to each other
protective equipment,
in a world faced
the devastating impact
and to the hardest hit
the repatriation of South
with the Corona-
of the COVID-19 pan-
European countries as
African citizens and the
demic.
early as March 2020.
sharing of virus control/
virus (COVID-19) pandemic is vital in meeting
The XII BRICS Summit
South Africa received
treatment measures.
the needs of the United
culminated in the Mos-
a US$1 billion loan from
Nations (UN) Sustainable
cow Declaration that af-
the BRICS’s New Devel-
Development Goals.
firms the commitment of
opment Bank (NDB) to
National interests
In 2020, under the
the bloc to multilateral-
help fight COVID-19 and
BRICS membership has
Russian Chairmanship,
ism and mutual respect.
for humanitarian aid.
elevated South Africa's
the Brazil, Russia, India,
BRICS countries have
In addition, South
position in the interna-
China and South Africa
stepped up to the chal-
Africa has had close
tional arena and helped
(BRICS) grouping main-
lenge in the midst of the
cooperation with the
it become a more
tained the momentum
COVID-19 pandemic.
bloc partners on the
credible democratic
despite adverse global
They started providing
provision of personal
mouthpiece for Africa
46
Public Sector Manager • December 2020/January 2021
