Bangladesh thinks the group of major emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) — should not be considered “platform of geopolitics”, but a supportive platform for emerging economies to help developing countries. “The developed countries should be happy that the BRICS emerging countries, who have resources, would like to help developing countries,” Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told journalists at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, ahead of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Johannesburg, South Africa to attend the BRICS Summit 2023. The briefing was arranged to highlight PM Hasina’s engagements at the BRICS Summit. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Ministry Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin, among others, were present. Read: India is a mature govt, they can say something for regional interest: Momen Momen said it should be win-win for all the countries though some people speak more about the geopolitical tension for some reason. The BRICS will hold its 15th heads of state and government summit in Johannesburg from August 22 to 24. Momen, however, said the countries of the Global South are facing difficulties as many banks were expelled from the SWIFT, a bank messaging system for transacting dollars. “Many speak about de-dollarisation, but it is not easy. We don’t have much to comment on this,” he said. Read: BRICS Summit: Hasina, Modi likely to hold meeting on the sidelines “So, if the emerging countries support us with funding, the developed countries should be happy. In that case, their responsibilities will be shared. None is their enemy,” Momen added. Indian Prime Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are among the global leaders who are traveling to South Africa this week for the BRICS Summit. India and China are two core members of the BRICS nations, which also include Brazil, Russia and South Africa. A regular flight (EK 583) of the Emirates Airlines is scheduled to depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) with Prime Minister Hasina and her entourage members at 10:15 am on August 22. The flight will arrive at the O.R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa at 20:50 hrs after a short stopover at the Dubai International Airport. Read: US being profoundly vocal on human rights should hand over Bangabandhu’s self-confessed killer: Shahriar Alam The Prime Minister will be received by a minister-in-waiting of the South Africa government and High Commissioner of Bangladesh to South Africa at the airport from where Sheikh Hasina will be escorted to the Place of Residence, Radisson Blu Hotel Sandton Johannesburg. On her first day of engagement in Johannesburg, the Prime Minister will attend the Bangladesh Trade and Business Summit at 10 am at the Radisson Hotel and Convention Center on August 23. On the same day, she will attend and speak at the Bangladesh Envoys Conference in South Africa at the Palace of Residence at 12:30 pm. The Premier is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President XI Jinping at Hotel Hilton, Sandton at 3:30 pm. Read: Busy schedule awaits PM Hasina during her BRICS visit to South Africa She will later attend a banquet and cultural show at the Gallagher Estate, Johannesburg. On August 24, the Prime Minister will attend the Friends of BRICS Leaders Dialogue (BRICS-Africa Outreach and the BRICS Plus Dialogues) to begin from 9 am at the Sandton Convention Centre. She is scheduled to deliver a speech at the summit for five minutes. On the sideline of the summit, the Prime Minister is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi and President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff at the Sandton Convention Centre. She will attend a luncheon hosted by President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa. The Premier will attend a meeting of the community leaders on August 25. Sheikh Hasina will depart the O.R. Tambo International Airport by a flight (EK 762) of the Emirates Airlines at 13:40 pm (local time) and will arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:40 pm on August 27 following a brief stopover at the Dubai International Airport. Read more: Bangladesh's inclusion in BRICS depends on members: Foreign Minister

As the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa get ready to meet for the 15th BRICS summit, on August 22–24, observers have high hopes for what will come out of the meeting. It will be the first time that representatives of the five emerging economies will meet in person – in South Africa – since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many other countries are looking to BRICS as a way to help their own economies recover as well, according to an article published today by China Daily. It was shared by the Chinese embassy in Dhaka. Since the group’s growth is likely to be announced at the BRICS summit, there is a lot of interest in how new members are chosen and which countries would be eligible. The article quotes Philani Mthembu, executive director of the Institute for Global Dialogue at University of South Africa, saying the fact that the summit will be BRICS’ first physical meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic shows that the member countries are making progress towards recovery, even though the Ukraine war has affected all. BRICS Summit: PM Hasina’s meetings on sidelines yet to be confirmed, says foreign ministry spokesperson ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism’ is the theme of this year’s summit. Mthembu remarked on the multilateral aspect: “There is an acknowledgment that multilateralism has been in crisis in the last few years. It has not achieved the things it set out to do… One of the key focus areas in the theme is strengthening inclusive multilateralism. It is important that South Africa brings an African focus into the theme.” Kenyan scholar Cavince Adhere, who studies international relations and focuses on China-Africa development cooperation, said that African countries expect BRICS to give them more chances to trade and invest with member countries. PM Hasina formally invited to attend BRICS Summit in South Africa Noting that the people of the BRICS countries make up more than 40% of the world’s population as a whole, he said that access to these large markets could help many emerging economies in Africa grow and develop quickly. The China Daily article quoted Adhere as saying, “In an increasingly polarized world, BRICS can create an enabling avenue for African countries to fashion a more inclusive global economic and political order, which has been dominated by Western powers.” Opposition to BRICS proves BNP is against development of the country: Info Minister He said the fact that more than 40 countries have said they want to join BRICS at the summit shows how popular the group is, since most countries think that if they join, they can solve their development problems. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the BRICS Summit 2023, the foreign ministry has confirmed. Bangladesh has received the formal invitation from the host South Africa. The summit will be hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre (SCC) in Johannesburg. Earlier, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen had said that Bangladesh is likely to become a member of BRICS in August this year. “BRICS leaders are thinking of taking some emerging economies – around eight new countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Bangladesh,” he told reporters. Bangladesh, India have stepped into new era that will help both economies: Shahriar Alam