Akufo-Addo urges BRICS to prioritize peace to drive development globally

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is entreating world leaders to work at achieving peace in order to drive development in the world.

According to him, the recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia has had a devastating effect on African economies including Ghana.

Speaking at the 2023 BRICS summit in South Africa on August 24, Akufo-Addo stated that world peace is important for global development.

“We must renew our commitments and consolidate peace and democracy all over the world and we will have to brace ourselves to live in a new and more dangerous world today and in the future.

“The issues of peace, progress, and prosperity in BRICS countries and Africa are deeply intertwined which presupposes that ensuring the development of Africa should be in our common interest.”

BRICS stand for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will officially become full members of BRICS effective January 1, 2024.

According to reports, the five BRICS nations have a combined gross domestic product larger than that of the G7 in purchasing power parity terms. In nominal terms, the BRICS countries are responsible for 26 percent of the global GDP.

BRICS has a combined population of 3.2 billion people, which is 41 percent of the global population; and 26.7 percent of the world’s land surface is occupied by BRICS countries.