Durban — The BRICS forum presents the youth of South Africa with an abundance of opportunities, and an immense world of skills to empower and develop them as global economic players.
These sentiments were shared by an array of participants at the 9th BRICS Youth Summit held at the Coastlands Hotel, uMhlanga, on Thursday.
NYDA chairperson Asanda Luwaca said that through collaboration, the BRICS youth could share immense opportunities for economic, cultural, and political exchange with each other.
“BRICS offers us an array of opportunities through partnerships within its framework and family. Through student exchange programmes, the youth of the five BRICS member states can be provided with immense skills.
“South Africa’s inclusion in BRICS presented her with enormous opportunities, guaranteed to offer her youth a world of growth and development. Our country is known for its mineral and manufacturing possibilities, which can be harvested by the youth to address poverty, unemployment, and inequality.
“As young people, we are the backbone of future development taking place in the world. Significant financial resources must therefore be dedicated to educating the country’s youth.”
KwaZulu-Natal Acting Premier and Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane highlighted the importance of the role of young people in the Global South’s growth and development. She reminded the youth that the world was big and wider, offering them vast economic opportunities.
“The young people of our country have been given a front seat on the table of economic development possibilities. Our province has an abundance of youth resources that can be harnessed to enhance its economic growth.
“South Africa relies on you, as the future, to change it for the better, and guarantee it for future generations. Our country and province have had the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the April floods, and the July unrest, yet we are soldiering on and rebuilding our future, like the rest of the Global South.
“The KZN government is ready to provide its youth with business opportunities. We don’t expect our youth to only be job seekers, we want them to be job creators in the main,” Simelane said.
Minister of Women, Children, and People with Disabilities Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said that the summit provided the youth with golden opportunities to shape their futures and guarantee the country’s growth.
“July is Mandela Month, and we are asking the young people to jolt the global people, and make inroads in all aspects of life, wherever they are, as they are the future.”
Dlamini Zuma added that all BRICS nations were rich in the oceans’ economy as they were bordered by oceans, which presented them with huge economic prospects.
“South Africa must partner with her four BRICS partners and enhance her food production possibilities and skills. Manufacturing is another resource we need to explore …”
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