The recent ninth BRICS Parliamentary Forum, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has come under heavy criticism from the Democratic Alliance (DA), which described it as ‘shambolic’ and a ‘national embarrassment.’
As per EWN, the DA pointed fingers at the African National Congress (ANC), blaming their incompetence for the forum’s shortcomings and raising doubts about South Africa’s reliability as a partner within the BRICS coalition.
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The two-day gathering of lawmakers, which focused on discussions concerning climate change and African partnerships, concluded last Thursday.
Emma Louise Powell, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the DA and a delegate at the forum, expressed her discontent with the event. Powell drew attention to a stark disparity in representation by noting that South Africa sent more than 45 MPs while Russia only sent one delegate.
This stark imbalance, she argued, diminished the forum’s significance and transformed it into little more than a platform for anti-Western propaganda.
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Powell also drew attention to Russia’s absence from the forum, linking it to the diplomatic isolation Russia faces due to its invasion of Ukraine. She further criticised the Speaker of Iran’s National Consultative Assembly, who, after delivering a vehemently critical speech against the West in his opening remarks, left the forum abruptly.
Another point of contention during the forum was the struggle to secure sponsorship. According to documents released during the event, out of the 13 companies approached for sponsorship, 12 either declined or did not respond to the requests.
Notable companies on this list include Telkom, Vodacom and Nedbank.
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Picture: The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa / Unsplash