Naledi Pandor, former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, gave the keynote address at the “BRICS Ascendent” symposium which took place in Brasilia over May 29-30. Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the BRICS for 2025, and this dialogue is one of many taking place in that context. According to the website of the lead organizer of the symposium, Progressive International, panels at the conference covered a wide range of topics, including global economic governance, global health, equitable development, and a multilateral peace and security architecture.
In her speech, Pandor lauded the conference organizers for having “chosen to confront this well designed practice of ensuring nations of the South never successfully overcome their disadvantages…” but warned that “responses in excellent rhetoric and well-drafted speeches are not sufficient to the task.”
She focused on the global role of the BRICS, stating that “BRICS enlarged without the foundation of a clear political agenda, resulting in an amorphous grouping that has to find common ground in a rapidly unravelling geopolitical environment…. If it is agreed that BRICS could become a leader of progressive ideals, we should consider creating to encourage a group of well-resourced strategic thinkers to work closely with leaders of BRICS in setting out a vision of a transformed world in which BRICS plays a key strategic development role.”
