Ramaphosa Warns BRICS Against Africa Becoming Raw-Material Supplier Only
President Cyril Ramaphosa warned BRICS leaders in New Delhi that Africa cannot remain a raw-material supplier while manufacturing and value addition happen elsewhere.
President Cyril Ramaphosa warned BRICS leaders in New Delhi that Africa cannot remain a raw-material supplier while manufacturing and value addition happen elsewhere.
China and Brazil have solidified a series of major health partnerships from April 2025 to March 2026, including plans for Brazil’s first ‘smart hospital’, vaccine supply deals worth over $700 million, and coordinated research into cancer and autoimmune treatments, according to statements issued by both governments. Smart Healthcare Infrastructure And...
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that achieving the objectives of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine will substantially enhance the country’s standing in international affairs. Speaking in recent remarks reported by official Russian media, Lavrov maintained that the ongoing military campaign, which began on 24 February 2022, is...
China and Colombia have moved to strengthen their diplomatic and economic relationship following the signing of a new cooperation framework linked to the Belt and Road Initiative during high level talks in Beijing. The agreement comes as both nations mark a milestone year in bilateral relations and seek broader collaboration...
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has called on South Africa to deepen defence cooperation between the two BRICS partners, warning that emerging economies must strengthen their military self-sufficiency or risk vulnerability to foreign aggression. Speaking at a press conference in Brasília on Monday alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa, Lula...
China has instructed its oil refiners to halt exports. The move comes as the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial energy route, faces a traffic blockade. China relies heavily on imported oil for its energy needs. China remains a net importer of oil, sourcing much of its supply from abroad. The...
The Brics alliance has maintained complete silence since Israeli forces killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. More than 550 people died in the strikes, including at least 165 children. Iran holds permanent membership in the expanded bloc of eleven nations. The grouping, frequently championed as a voice for the...
China’s economy expanded by five percent, a figure that positions it among the fastest growing of the world’s major economies at a time when many advanced markets are grappling with sluggish output and tightening financial conditions. The performance reinforces Beijing’s strategic importance in the international economic system and signals resilience...
BRICS members are discussing the need for a strategic maritime dimension to strengthen security along global shipping lanes, especially in the face of Western actions that challenge sanctioned trade and sea control. Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev has urged deeper cooperation among BRICS navies, arguing that coordinated patrols and joint...
China’s ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, has declared that the implementation of a landmark Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Prosperity is imminent, setting the stage for a dramatic shift in trade relations between Pretoria and Beijing. Speaking at the 2026 Chinese New Year celebration hosted at the...
South Africa’s economic diplomacy is entering a decisive phase as Pretoria moves to deepen its trade relationship with China, a shift driven by urgency as much as opportunity. The government has confirmed that China will allow duty free access for selected South African products, marking a significant step in efforts...
Tens of thousands of pro government supporters poured into Iran’s streets on Monday in a carefully choreographed show of loyalty to the state, following an official call for mass mobilisation. State television carried sweeping images of crowds filling Tehran’s Enghelab Square, while similar rallies were reported in Kerman, Zahedan, Birjand...
China has sharply escalated its response to the United States after announcing sanctions against 20 additional American weapons manufacturers and ten senior defence executives, a move framed by Beijing as direct retaliation for Washington’s latest arms sale to Taiwan. The measures expand an existing blacklist targeting the US defence sector...
South Africa’s trade negotiations with the United States have reached a difficult phase, with Pretoria resisting what it views as external interference in its domestic policies on Black empowerment and land reform. The discussions, aimed at easing tariffs imposed on South African exports, have revealed a widening divide between the...
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) reaffirmed that “China’s announcement of export control measures on rare earths and related items is a legitimate action by the Chinese government to refine its export control system in accordance with laws and regulations.” This statement came in response to inquiries about...
Direct air services linking designated points in China and India will resume by late October 2025, according to an announcement posted on the website of India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday. The flights will operate in line with the winter season schedule, subject to the commercial decisions of airlines...
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged world leaders to act with urgency and unity in tackling the overlapping global crises of conflict, climate change, inequality, and the erosion of international law. Speaking at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he positioned South Africa’s...
An Air India flight travelling from Ahmedabad to London, carrying 242 passengers, has crashed shortly after takeoff. A video circulating online shows the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner descending rapidly into a residential neighbourhood, with thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky. Authorities have reported that the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad...
A deadly assault in India’s Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory has once again reignited severe tensions between India and Pakistan, two nations whose fraught relationship has endured through wars, diplomatic breakdowns, and recurring violence. The attack, which claimed 26 lives, has plunged the region into uncertainty, with both countries taking...
Unrest has gripped the capital of Abkhazia, Sukhum, with President Aslan Bzhania describing the events as an “attempted coup.” The turmoil began amidst parliamentary discussions about a contentious agreement with Moscow, which would allow Russian companies to invest in the region. Opposition groups claim the deal disproportionately benefits Russian businesses...
Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Badr Abdelatty, and South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, convened in Cairo on Thursday to address significant international and regional issues. Following their meeting, both ministers held a press conference where they reaffirmed the enduring partnership between their nations...
African countries are exploring ways to deepen their engagement with BRICS, the coalition of emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mikhail Bogdanov, shared insights with TASS following the first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, underscoring Africa’s keen...
Tuesday, 22 October 2024 – President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Kazan, Russian Federation, to represent South Africa at the XVI BRICS Summit. The summit, taking place from 22 to 24 October 2024, is centred around the theme: “Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security.” This visit is significant...
Taiwan’s foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, has made it clear that the island has no plans to move its unofficial embassy from Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, despite a formal request from the South African government. His comments came in response to Pretoria’s demand for Taiwan to relocate its “liaison...
Elon Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, has found itself embroiled in a legal standoff in Brazil. The conflict escalated when Brazil’s Supreme Court, under the directive of its top judge, Alexandre de Moraes, ordered the freezing of Starlink’s financial accounts. This decision comes as tensions rise over Musk’s social media...
The list of countries ready to join the BRICS alliance in 2024 is expanding rapidly. Many developing nations are drawn to BRICS due to its efforts to advance the de-dollarization agenda. The alliance is promoting the use of local currencies for trade, aiming to strengthen native economies. Russia’s Deputy Foreign...
BRICS, the economic alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, aims to launch a new currency backed by gold as a countermeasure to the US dollar. This potential common currency could herald a new financial era for the alliance, forming a cornerstone for further developments. The upcoming summit...
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has declined an invitation to the G7 summit in Italy due to the Hajj pilgrimage season in his country, which starts on Friday, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Bin Salman was among several Middle Eastern leaders invited to the Group of Seven meeting...
In 1988, the Soviet Union took a significant step by recognizing Palestinian statehood, a policy that Russia continues to uphold, as emphasized by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. His statements were made in response to recent announcements from Ireland, Norway, and Spain, which have also decided to formally recognize the Palestinian...
In a series of overnight incursions aimed at public locales and the bases of military and law enforcement in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, the group known as Jaish al-Adl incurred significant losses, as announced by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). These endeavors to assail the towns...