american president attacks, Donald Trumpdirected against three to The most important emerging economies in the world Lead the leaders of these countries to strengthen relations and respond to Trump’s aggressive trade policies.
Leaders India, Brazil and South Africa Met in Johannesburg backstage G20this Sunday, to give greater importance to a trio called Ibas. This is the first time in more than a decade that leaders have met under the auspices of the group, although foreign ministers have done so regularly over the years.
Trump has succeeded in destabilizing decades of cautious Washington diplomacy in order to cultivate relations with three major emerging markets. He imposed high customs taxes on them and publicly rebuked their leaders over their nations’ internal policies.
The US president missed the G20 summit in Johannesburg this weekend, a blow to South Africa and other developing countries struggling to reduce global inequality.
The South African President said: “Our group confirms that diversity is not a dividing line, but a source of strength.” Cyril RamaphosaIn his opening remarks at the IBSA meeting.
“We must position ourselves as co-architects of a more representative and responsive multilateral system,” he added.
The absence of the Chinese president Xi JinpingAt the summit, which was only the second time he had missed the G20 forum, it may also have been an opportunity for the three leaders to revitalize their trilateral coordination. Usually, Xi meets with Ramaphosa, in addition to the Indian Prime Minister. Narendra ModiAnd the president Lola As part of the group BRICSalong with Vladimir Putin of Russia, who has not attended a G20 summit in years.
Xi often takes a leadership role in forums such as the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which he has nurtured as a counterweight to the US-led global order. He was also one of the few politicians to successfully push back against Trump’s tariffs this year.
but, The BRICS countries have become subject to the control of the agendas of China and Russiaand her The formation grew rapidly Over the years, surpassing the five founding countries and It included countries such as Iran and Ethiopia.
In its smaller form, the Ibas Group allows the three leaders to coordinate actions in a smaller forum, making it possible to implement policies more quickly.
“South Africa, which was previously happy to leave Ibas part of the BRICS, is now seeking to form a more cohesive groupingsaid Syed Akbaruddin, a former Indian envoy to the United Nations who now teaches at the Kautilya School of Public Policy.
South Africa has proposed resuming the Ebas leaders’ meeting on the sidelines of the G20, arguing that the smaller bloc is more flexible in making decisions on trade, market access and investment, according to Indian diplomats familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity because the discussions are private.
Ben Joubert, a South African Foreign Ministry official, said that in the trilateral group “it is very easy to reach consensus and move forward on issues that concern us.”
“The geoeconomic and geopolitical challenges we face in the world are driving the need for better coordination and putting Ibas in the spotlight,” he said in an interview on Sunday in Johannesburg.
“We will do our best to announce and strengthen our cooperation,” he added.
President Lula said it was important for the trio to have a different agenda from the BRICS agenda. According to him, if Ibas insists on repeating the BRICS agenda, she will remain under it. He stated that they left the meeting with one mission, which was to begin deep thinking about the future paths of the coalition in preparation for the next summit.
The Ibas Forum last held its leaders meeting in South Africa in 2011. Formed in 2003, The group of three countries mainly coordinates Global governance issues and enhancing South-South cooperationincluding through Joint financing of development projects.
“We all agree that global institutions do not reflect the reality of the 21st century,” Modi said on Sunday. He described the summit between South Africa, Brazil and India as “historic and timely.”
this year, Trump punishes India For you Relationships with Russia By imposing 50% tariffs on goods sent to the United States, and angering New Delhi with its repeated claims to broker a ceasefire with Pakistan. In South Africa, Trump boycotted the G20 summit and made false claims of genocide of white farmers in the country.
The US President also imposed high tariffs on… Brazil To force him to give up the trial against his ally Former President Jair BolsonaroAccused of planning a coup against Lula. He confronted Brazilian President Trump, who has since taken steps to exempt several products from tariffs, in a victory for the Brazilian leader.
The revitalization of the Ibas Forum indicates that Trump’s actions are pushing developing countries to pursue economic integration on their own.
The Johannesburg meeting is not expected to produce significant results, but it will be a signal of renewed cooperation between emerging economies.