By Staff Writer
United Party for National Development (UPND) Secretary General Batuke Imenda has described BRICS political parties Plus dialogue, which took place in Johannesburg South Africa, as insightful.
Speaking at the just ended political dialogue in South Africa, Mr. Imenda said the meeting provided a number of takeaways for political parties from both the opposition and ruling parties across the continent.
He said the BRICS Summit offered the participants an opportunity to identify the challenges facing the continent and come up with possible key solutions on how political parties within a country could coexist despite differences in ideologies by building consensus on issues affecting their countries, promoting development, participatory democracy, boosting and encouraging investments, as well as strengthening cooperation.
He added that political parties should champion and be role models to the youths and the country at large and that the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, and the empowerment of young people and women needed a collective effort from all stakeholders.
The meeting coincided with the global celebrations of the Nelson Mandela International Day, as millions around the world recalled his contribution to the global struggles for democracy, peace, human rights, and social justice.
The Dialogue was held in the context of ongoing shifts in the geopolitical landscape, with accelerated movement towards a multipolar world in which countries of the global South are increasingly asserting themselves and their interests on the global stage.
The Summit recognized the fact that BRICS countries and those of the global South should seek to diversify and transform the international financial architecture towards greater inclusivity and equity, including through the New Development Bank (NDB) and encouraging more local currency financing.
The Summit recognized the fact that political parties should shoulder the political responsibility of leading the way, building consensus, promoting development, participatory democracy, boosting engagement, encouraging investments, strengthening cooperation and improving governance.
The Summit also underscored the fact that parties should jointly advocate robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, explore the building of a global network for inter-civilization dialogue and cooperation, enrich the contents of exchanges and expand avenues of cooperation to promote mutual understanding and friendship among people of all countries and jointly advance the progress of human civilizations.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to a world of peace and stability and continued support to the central role of the United Nations, its purposes and principles as enshrined in the UN Charter and respect for and equitable application of international law.
This is contained in a statement issued by Tamara Nyirenda First Secretary Press and Public Relations
Zambia High Commission South Africa.
