BRICS group a beacon of hope for Africa – academic

Boitumelo Ben Senokoane has highlighted the bloc’s role in empowering the continent

The BRICS alliance has become a crucial platform for Africa’s aspirations to improve the continent’s economy, improve education and gain global influence, Boitumelo Ben Senokoane, head of the Directorate of Institutional Advancement at the University of South Africa told RT in an exclusive interview.

Speaking with RT in the run-up to the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia later this month, Senokoane emphasized the significant role that the group plays in empowering African nations to determine their own futures, in partnership with other BRICS countries.

BRICS has become Africa’s hope in terms of knowledge production, the improvement of education, and shaping the economy, Senokoane said. He highlighted ongoing discussions and agreements between BRICS partners, saying they were pivotal in defining the path forward, including in critical areas such as currency and economic policy.

Senokoane further stressed that Africa’s involvement in BRICS is based on the principle of equality. When it comes to economics, “we [Africans] believe that we should depart from a point of view that we are equal, all of us should contribute equitably in the space of knowledge and education,” he stated, adding that South Africa’s universities are committed to forging a shared agenda with the BRICS nations that focuses on building a future where each member nation plays a vital role.

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The academic also noted the importance of these partnerships in creating a multipolar world order. “The memoranda of understanding that will have been signed between nations of states will break the bipolar or tripolar situation to multipolar so that all nations are able to contribute equally into the discourse of knowledge and education,” he explained.

Touching on Africa’s geopolitical stance, Senokoane acknowledged the challenges of maintaining neutrality in a polarized world, especially in times of conflict. “Even in the neutrality, there is actually no neutrality in neutrality. There is always a position,” he remarked, adding that Africa has often faced pressure to align with external powers but should remain steadfast in determining its own agenda and future.

He emphasized that Africans should maintain independence in decision-making despite external West pressure, explaining that “the decisions we make will impact us directly as Africans.”

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BRICS was originally founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. Two additional African states, Ethiopia and Egypt, joined in January 2024, along with Iran and the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia has yet to ratify its membership. Russia currently chairs the group. More than 30 nations, including NATO member Türkiye, have applied to join.