Political parties and leaders from the BRICS nations have expressed a strong desire for a shared vision for a stronger global order. Emphasising the importance of inclusive multilateralism, the parties are calling for a new world order that reflects the evolving dynamics of our interconnected world.

By Tshawe lama Tshawe

Several delegates representing political parties from Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia convened on Tuesday at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg for the Dialogue 2023, a three-day gathering. This event serves as a precursor to the significant BRICS leaders’ summit, scheduled to take place in Sandton next month.

During his speech to delegates via a video call from Russia, Gennady Zyuganov, the chairman of the central committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, criticized the “US-led collective West” for persistently trying to maintain “its dominant positions in the world at all costs – continuing to pursue a neocolonial policy and seeking to restore Fascism”.

Zyuganov argued that despite the strained relations between Russia and Western countries due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, the US still harbours a desire to revive its dark colonial history, albeit in a different form.

“This is driven by rabid Russophobia and a pathological desire to destroy Russia and the Russian world – drawing ever more countries into its bloody orbit.

“The West is essentially setting once brotherly people against one another to gain political and economic dividends.

“Today the world is changing rapidly, exposing all the accumulated social and class contradictions – revealing the essence of true friendship and mutual understanding among the peoples.        

“Our country, the USSR, lost 27 million lives in the Second World War.

“We know the price of war.

“We want peace, but the USA wants war in order to weaken and destroy Russia.

“More sanctions are being introduced together with the strengthening of pressure mechanisms against all those who dare to object.

“We see a deliberate wrecking of economic, political and cultural ties and a conscious attempt to destroy international cooperation.

“All this challenges common sense and elementary logic, damages the interests of countries worldwide and has a negative impact on the well-being of people in practically all countries.

“We are happy that the countries of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America disclose the essence of the conflict NATO has provoked in Ukraine.

“We appreciate the peoples and governments of all the continents who have not given in to Western diktat and refused to introduce sanctions against Russia.”

Zyuganov told attendees from political parties and international organisations in Boksburg that the gathering was “extremely important in discussing pressing political and economic problems confronting BRICS.”

These varied from “possible ways of its development, to strengthening of international mechanisms of conflict resolution – from the activities of the New Development Bank to the enlargement of the organisation and establishment of equitable relations with African countries,” according to Zyuganov.

He further added: “It is very important that the parties and organisations represented at this meeting stand for the establishment of a truly democratic multipolar order, based on the principles of equality, justice and mutual respect – in which world politics, trade and finances are free of barriers and politically-motivated restrictions, not only in words.

“Together, we should erect a barrier in the way of this man-hating policy and prevent the world from sliding into a Third World War.

“I should remind you in this connection that our countries are the home of more than three billion people, account for a quarter of the world GDP, 20 percent of the world trade – about 25 percent of direct investments, and the summary international reserves of BRICS states account for 35 percent of world reserves.

“This is a great economic and political potential, which is capable of putting up a serious challenge to the West’s hegemonic policy.

“Moreover, we have every chance to increase our multi-vector cooperation in the framework of the BRICS dialogue and with partners from amongst the states represented here.”

A member of the Bureau of the Supreme Council of the ruling United Russia party, A Klimov, stated: “We support a multi-polar world order, sovereign equality of all nations, non-interference in domestic affairs, the right to self-determination, the principle of peaceful coexistence of countries with different political systems, and mutually beneficial cooperation.”

“We condemn any form of hegemonism, neo-imperialism, neo-colonialism, racism, and Nazism.

“We support generally accepted principles and norms of international law.

“These are the principles shared by the global majority and these are the principles which form the basis for such organizations as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

“Unfortunately, Washington and their Western partners, find the basis for their policies in other principles.

“They consider themselves special, they believe they have the right to govern the world and to create rules for others to obey.”

In its message to the gathering, the Communist Party of China said: “Concrete action needs to be taken to overcome division, promote mutual learning and dialogue, and engage in political dialogue to meet people’s aspirations.