The President of Angola and current leader of the African Union, João Lourenço, urged the strengthening of ties between Africa and the financial institutions of the BRICS group. During his speech at the 17th summit of the bloc, held in Rio de Janeiro, he stressed the need to mobilise investments that will accelerate the continent's economic development.
Lourenço argued before the heads of state present that international financing should focus on strategic sectors such as infrastructure, energy, transport and technology. He emphasised that progress in these areas is key to making the African free trade area a reality and to generating jobs in an environment marked by profound inequalities.
During a session dedicated to strengthening cooperation between countries of the Global South, the Angolan president considered that Africa and the BRICS share similar challenges. In his opinion, this multilateral space offers an opportunity to build equitable alliances, away from dominant logics and focused on mutual benefit.
The African leader also asserted the continent's role in global decision-making. He denounced the fact that the nations of the South have historically been excluded from development debates, and affirmed that it is time for their voices to have real weight in the design of international solutions.
Lourenço called for a profound reform of the institutions created after the Second World War, which, he said, no longer reflect the balance of power of the 21st century. In this context, he considered that the BRICS can be key players in the construction of fairer governance.
Finally, he called for the defence of multilateralism as the basis for global stability, warning of the risks of its weakening. He called for dialogue and cooperation as tools for resolving conflicts and advancing towards shared development.
Source: africa-press.net; prensa-latina.cu