Kiir leaves for BRICS summit in Johannesburg

President Salva Kiir traveled on Tuesday to the South African capital, Johannesburg, for an international summit on political and economic cooperation.

The Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial, said Kiir is traveling to the southern African country on BRICS’s invitation.

BRICS is a grouping of the world economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa formed by the 2010 addition of South Africa to the predecessor BRIC.

“President Kiir has been officially invited to participate in the meeting, which discusses crucial economic matters in the global south,” said Marial.

The meeting will focus on consolidating political and economic influence in the developing world, marking a crucial moment in international diplomacy.

The group of global South in their meeting will also discuss the proposed expansion of the bloc.

With South Sudan likely to join the bloc in the next expansion, over 40 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Algeria, Bolivia, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Comoros, Gabon, and Kazakhstan have expressed interest in joining the platform, according to media reports.

The group aims at becoming an alternative to the nations believed to have been dominated by the West and its allies. It look at empowering its members unlock benefits including development finance and increased trade and investment.