The finance minister was speaking on a panel in Davos about the expansion of Brics
It is set to be a busy year for the continent as many countries go to the polls and international engagement increases
China demanded an end to ‘collective punishment’ inflicted on Gaza, at a virtual summit chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa
The US president could pay dearly at the polls, as the global economy counts the costs of fracturing
A lack of cohesion and common vision means the continent has lost clout on the world stage
As two wars rage, the International Monetary Fund has warned that geopolitical fragmentation will hurt a still fragile global economy
Pretoria does not believe its disparate views on the conflict will affect relations with the US
In a polarised world, Ramaphosa’s administration dodged some fatal bullets in the past five months that carried some hard long-term risks
The president has sought to clinch an early extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act during his New York visit
The world’s lines of division have skewed during the past two summits
It is imperative that social movements inside both blocs navigate their agenda
The agreement to admit the AU was championed by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi
Ministers from the five countries met in the city to sign an agreement to work together to protect the lives and livelihoods of almost half the world’s population
We could yet witness the bloc emerge as a new power hub but only after a plethora of issues have been solved
Sultan Al Angari said Saudi Arabia would like to ensure that joining would not lead to alignment against other countries or groups, and did not affect the kingdom’s political positions
The president tells the National Assembly he does not believe in sidelining nations, but rather to engage with other countries on human rights
Beijing’s actions suggest it has a serious role to play in Africa’s journey toward stability
Partnering with questionable regimes appears to run against the grain of our political and economic interests
It is a dishonest evasion to excuse the horrors of the Iranian regime on the grounds that some of its Western accusers have a tainted human rights record
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that he believes his country should share expertise and knowledge with the Africa continent in defence manufacturing, research and development
To realise sustainable growth, the economic superpower must change tack, and South Africa must be ready to adjust
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema says Cuba, Venezuela, Palestine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo must also be added to the Brics economic bloc
The bloc’s countries are some of the worst polluters, so they need to take climate seriously
Iran polarised the five member states, with Russia fighting aggressively for its inclusion in the bloc, according to insiders
In a wide ranging interview with the Mail & Guardian, the Indian prime minister placed great importance on Africa’s position in geopolitics
After moving past the Putin will-he-won’t-he brouhaha, we can focus on the great impact Brics can have on member countries and the world
Important questions remain but there is no doubting the effect of these new allegiances
The meeting is first between the two leaders since border conflict intensified in 2020
This era of global economic reconfiguration requires a generation of radical doers and thinkers unapologetic about pushing boundaries
Brics chair, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the bloc’s expansion, which includes two African country
Iran, which was favoured by the Russians, is said to have also received the nod from the Brazilians, but various sanctions are likely to be its stumbling block
The electricity minister suggested he had cast a wide net to find partners for the country’s fight for reliable electricity