Noxolo Miya
Pretoria - Unisa hosted the BRICS Political Parties Plus Dialogue & Outreach, an event aimed at fostering peace and friendship among the participating nations at the university’s Kgorong Building in Pretoria on Tuesday evening.
Principal and vice-chancellor of Unisa Professor Puleng LenkaBula welcomed guests who included ambassadors and high commissioners representing various countries in South Africa, members of the executive and extended management of the university, and ANC senior official Nomvula Mokonyane.
“On this important event with a theme that resonates with South Africa, namely, ‘there shall be peace and friendship’ among countries and nations of the world’, I am particularly pleased that you have chosen Unisa as your venue to host this dialogue on a range of political, security and human development issues that affect Africa, the global South, and the entire world,” said LenkaBula.
Keynote speakers included Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba of Discovery, member of the BRICS Margret Molefe, and Sanusha Naidu of the Institute for Global Dialogue and participant in the BRICS Academic Forum.
Mokonyane spoke about how the event served as an opportunity for political parties to exchange views and experiences, learn from each other’s successes and challenges, identify areas of potential collaboration, strengthen ties between BRICS countries and promote a more harmonious world order.
“As the ANC, we are committed to enhancing our outreach and engagement with the different tracks of diplomacy and today’s dialogue forms a part of that outreach.
“We are committed to working with political parties that share their values and objectives in building a more equitable international order characterised by strong multilateral institutions and a progressive development agenda at its core,” said Mokonyane
Ntsaluba said: “The theme ‘there shall be peace and friendship’, highlights the significance of building strong relationships between political parties. It emphasises the need to enhance understanding, trust and co-operation among BRICS nations. By providing a platform for party leaders, policymakers, and academics to engage in dialogue, Unisa aims to contribute to the peaceful development of international relations.”
Molefe, of South African BRICS Youth Association and a participant in the BRICS Civil Society Forum, emphasised how the event served as a reminder for young people of the importance of inclusivity in international relations and how political parties play a critical role in mobilising communities to support common interests.
As the 2023 chair of BRICS, South Africa will host the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on August 22-24. The ummit will be attended by more than 54 political parties from different parts of the world.
Pretoria News