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South Africa is gearing up towards hosting BRICS Summit with members — Brazil, Russia, India, and China on August 22 in Johannesburg. National Security Advisors (NSAs) of the BRICS member states will meet Monday to Wednesday to discuss a security cooperation mechanism for the grouping amid ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
The BRICS countries represent 43% of the world’s population, 16% of the world’s trade, and a larger share of the world’s GDP than the G7. Additionally, twenty countries are also interested in joining this global alliance.
South Africa’s foreign policies have embraced greater strategic independence in the highly polarised and fragmented world, arguing for Pan-Africanism and its cause in geopolitical arenas.
With India, it forges a strong South-South cooperation. In an exclusive interaction, ahead of the BRICS Summit, South African High Commissioner Joel Sibusiso Ndebele speaks with Manish Kumar Jha on a range of issues. Putting greater thrust on economic cooperation with India, Joel Ndebele hints at building defence and security ties.
He also talks about the BRICS’ key member, Russian President Putin’s participation amid the row over International Criminal Court (ICC) accusation and warrant.
How do you look at India-South Africa bilateral relations today where geopolitics is highly polarized and fragmented?
This year South Africa and India celebrate 30 years of formal diplomatic ties, but our deep and shared history of friendship and solidarity goes back a lot longer. We will never forget India’s support for the fight for freedom and democracy in South Africa.
Our countries have produced two twentieth-century icons in the persons of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Gandhi’s stay in South Africa from 1893 to 1914 impacted the liberation struggle in South Africa and was an inspiration for millions of South Africans as witnessed by the mobilisation during the 1952 defiance campaign. India was Gandhi’s country of birth, and South Africa was his country of adoption.
On 18 July, the world commemorated former President Nelson Mandela’s 105th birthday. In 2009, this day was declared Nelson Mandela International Day by the United Nations General Assembly in recognition of Madiba’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom. The South African High Commission joined several Indian institutions in commemorating this event here in New Delhi such as the India International Centre, the Vivekananda International Foundation, the National Museum, and the Mandela-Gandhi Foundation. The visions of Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi are the cement that binds our two nations together and we continue to follow the wisdom of these leaders in seeking a path in today’s polarised world.
Our partnership with India has grown from being a struggle for freedom to a partnership that embraces the best of both of our societies. In today’s highly polarised and fragmented world, South Africa and India continue the struggle for equitable and inclusive development, as well as greater voice and representation in global institutions.
The world today is beset by seemingly insurmountable challenges such as persistent inequality, conflict, and deepening poverty. With seven years left to meet the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, development must be at the centre of this agenda. This is particularly relevant given the severe setback caused by COVID-19 and the current debt sustainability challenges facing many in the developing world.
South Africa and India have forged strong ties that seek to enrich each other’s viewpoints through meaningful exchanges not only bilaterally but also as committed partners of the Global South. We share common visions of a reformed world. With South Africa chairing BRICS and India, the G20, there is an opportunity to align our voices in the call for reform of the United Nations multilateral system and global financial architecture, such as the Bretton Woods institutions.
South-South cooperation is a new buzzword. Do you think India and South Africa could converge and lead on global issues/agenda as both share historical ties and shared history?
South-South cooperation has always been a pillar of South Africa’s foreign policy and is viewed as one of the ways in which a context of global cooperation could be advanced through establishing influential formations that will work with the UN to advance an inclusive forward-looking international agenda.
India and Africa have a shared history spanning several centuries of robust economic, trade, cultural and people-to-people exchanges. India was one of the Chief architects of the first Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia, in April 1955. Where the foundations of South-South solidarity and cooperation were firmly laid.
This shared history between India and Africa, and South Africa has served as well in being leading voices of the global South. Recent examples of South Africa and India leading on issues affecting the global south were our joint efforts in submitting a proposal to the WTO for a temporary waiver of certain rules in the Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement to facilitate wider access to technologies needed to produce vaccines and medicine, especially to the poorer countries. A temporary waiver allowed for the use of intellectual property, to share technology transfer, to produce vaccines and therapeutics, lower prices and expedite distribution to everyone, everywhere.
In 2010, G20 leaders identified the need to establish the G20 Development Working Group (DWG) with a mandate to lead in the implementation of the group’s development agenda and SA has served as a permanent co-chair of the DWG since its inception. The DWG has become an important instrument in addressing the most critical development challenges of the global South, including Africa.
The Global South is looking towards India to ensure that issues of development that are critical in advancing their development, including meeting the UN’s SDGs, receive priority attention in the G20 in 2023.
India’s theme for its G20 Presidency, Vasu Dhaiva Kutumbakan: one Earth, One Family, One Future, resonates with the African concept of Ubuntu: I am because you are, to be human is to recognise the humanity of others.
We look forward to President Ramaphosa’s participation at the Summit in September. India has certainly set the bar high. Importantly three countries from the South, that is India, Brazil and South Africa are and will be leading the G20 in consecutive years. Some even refer to it as the IBSA Presidency of the G20, which provides an important opportunity to drive the development agenda of the Global South.
South Africa will host the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg from 22-24 August. BRICS offer a lot of expectations. What is the main agenda?
One of the key focus areas of SA’s chairship of 2023 is to deepen and strengthen people-to-people ties among BRICS countries as a people-centred BRICS community is one of the major strengths of our cooperative relations.
South Africa’s theme for 2023: BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism, emphasises the value of BRICS as a partnership of leading emerging markets and developing countries generating momentum towards global growth, sustainable development and inclusion of the global South in the world system
As chair, we will explore how BRICS can lead with solutions for an equitable Just Transition, managing the risks associated with climate change while still improving the lives and futures of those people employed under the umbrella of old industries.
Under our chairship, we will continue the wide range of BRICS people-to-people platforms, including the Youth Summit, Young Diplomats Forum, Parliamentary Forum, Civil BRICS as well as the Media Forum.
South Africa’s Chairship is not isolated – it builds on the excellent work of the previous chair.
This year, in particular, we are seized with important discussions on the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures for BRICS membership expansion. For SA, the immense interest in joining BRICS is a recognition that we remain true to our foundational values of creating a more inclusive and equitable global community, strengthening multilateralism and being a catalyst for global economic recovery and growth and a stable and peaceful world.
Could you talk about Russia’s participation in the wake of recent controversy?
This question has been overtaken by recent developments but for the record President Ramaphosa confirmed that the BRICS Summit will be held in person in Johannesburg. Indeed, all preparations are in full swing for the Leaders’ Summit from 22 to 24 August 2023. President Putin indicated that he would not travel to South Africa at this time.
Bilateral trade increased from $10 billion in 2018–19 to $18 billion in 2022–23, but it falls short of expectations. How do you plan to address this? What are the opportunities and areas of cooperation that you see unfolding between the two countries?
To be precise, India-South Africa bilateral trade for 2022-23 stands at US$ 18.87 billion compared to 10.58 billion in 2018-19, registering a growth of 78.30% in the last five years. Today, South Africa is India’s second-largest trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa and India is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner in Asia. This is a significant growth but there is a lot of scope to keep the growth momentum going.
There are several economic areas where both countries can further cooperate leading to higher growth in trade between the two countries. Currently, trade is dominated by mineral commodities, however, there has been a healthy change in the last few years, wherein value-added goods are registering good growth. As a matter of fact, India benefited more from this change because South Africa emerged as India’s largest export destination for passenger and commercial vehicles.
In respect of South Africa, export to India of fresh fruits is a major silver lining. South Africa registered a 96% year-on-year growth in apple export in 2022-23, and a 40% growth in export of pears. In fact, South Africa completely dominates the pears market in India with 95% of the market share. In Citrus, South Africa is number two with 26% of the market share. We hope to soon see South African avocados, blueberries and litchis in India in the near future.
South Africa is also trying to play a key role in India’s ambition of reaching 1.3 billion tons of coal production by 2026. This ambition of India involves exploring underground production and South African expertise in underground coal production may play a key role in fulfilling India’s dream of becoming self-reliant in coal. South African capital equipment companies and consulting engineering companies are exploring opportunities in this area.
Defence equipment is another area, where India and South Africa can increase cooperation.
What are the opportunities and incentives for Indian investors who are keen to participate in the South African economy?
India has been among the top investors in South Africa. Indian investment in South Africa is very well diverse; including in automotive, pharmaceuticals, mining, ICT & Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), capital equipment, fast-moving consumer goods etc.
The companies include Mahindra
The BPO sector is currently witnessing healthy growth in South Africa, wherein Indian outsourcing companies are playing an important role. The Indian BPO industry has almost contributed 5000-6000 jobs in South Africa.
I invite corporate India to explore business opportunities in South Africa, especially in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. With the agreement in place, Africa offers a market very similar to the Indian size of 1.3 billion people. South Africa can be a springboard for getting into the African market. Please come and explore our rainbow country.
In addition to the organic benefit of a large growing market, South Africa also offers attractive incentives for investors. The incentives comprise sector-specific and cross-cutting incentives falling into three major funding instruments – cash grants, tax allowances, as well as concessional funding and preferential infrastructure access. These incentives are applicable at all the phases of the project life cycle – conceptual or startup; development and growth; and expansion and competitiveness improvement.
Could you shed light on defence cooperation between South Africa and India?
In terms of Defence Cooperation, India and South Africa officially commenced in 1996 with the signing of an MoU on “Cooperation in the field of Defence Equipment”, this was subsequently replaced by a MoU titled “Defence Cooperation” in 2000. The last Joint Defence Committee (JDC) was held in 2017, post Covid, no JDC has taken place with one scheduled for late 2023.
Various Indian Navy ships have made port calls to South Africa with the latest vessel the INS Trishaul docking in Durban from 7 to 10 June 2023. The IBSAMAR exercise between India, Brazil and South Africa has proven to be very valuable for the three countries in the maritime domain. The South African Army participated in the multinational field training exercise for African nations conducted by the Indian Army in Pune in March 2019.
Chief of the SA Air Force visited the Indian Armed Forces in 2021 and the Chief of the Army visited his Indian counterparts in 2022. Various military officers from South Africa have and currently are undergoing training in India. Two Indian officers are attending staff courses in South Africa. The South African military industry is making small gains in the field of exporting military equipment. South African and Indian soldiers work side by side in many peacekeeping operations in various mission areas. The relationship bond between the Indian Armed Forces and the SANDF is cordial and friendly and growing at a steady pace.
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