BRICS Xiamen Summit: Member Countries Issue Cooperation, Partnership Blueprint 

The objective is to speed up implementation of the economic bloc’s 2030 agenda.   

The ninth Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, BRICS summit ended on September 5, 2017 in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen. Speaking at a press briefing to close the gathering, Chinese President Xi Jinping said BRICS has produced a blueprint for enhancing cooperation and partnerships. He urged members to speed up the implementation of the BRICS 2030 agenda for international development.

According to him, the economic bloc has embarked on a new path for forging solidarity and a broader, closer and more comprehensive partnership. President Xi Jinping called for a more equitable international order and for the amplification of the voice of emerging economies on the global stage. He added that protectionism must be resisted. Meanwhile, South Africa is to host the tenth BRICS summit in 2018. The decision was arrived at this week in Xiamen where BRICS leaders met from September 3-5.

South African President Jacob Zuma called on the BRICS-owned New Development Bank to be more welcoming to emerging and developing markets and to Africa in particular, and assist the continent in taking forward development. He said South Africa’s trade with BRICS counterparts increased from 15 billion US dollars in 2010 to 31.2 billion US dollars in 2016. President Zuma urged BRICS financial institutions to henceforth pay greater attention to his country’s majority black population who were sidelined under Apartheid in the ownership, management and control of the economy. 

Africa ...