摘要：Tshediso Matona, commissioner of the Black Economic Empowerment Commission, said the rules-based system historically anchored by a
By Zhang Heling and Lyu Junwen
A South African expert has warned that the global multilateral trading system faces accelerating risks and called for coordinated action from BRICS nations to preserve its integrity amid rising protectionism and geopolitical tensions.
Tshediso Matona, commissioner of the Black Economic Empowerment Commission, said the rules-based system historically anchored by advanced economies is now under threat from a shift toward unilateral action and plurilateral agreements that disproportionately harm developing economies dependent on open trade.
Speaking at a BRICS governance forum in Rio de Janeiro on June 30, Matona identified three critical challenges facing the system: geopolitical fragmentation undermining the World Trade Organization's consensus-based framework, asymmetric rules that disadvantage developing countries, and a leadership vacuum as traditional system guardians retreat into protectionism.
Tshediso Matona, commissioner of the Black Economic Empowerment Commission, speaks at the BRICS Seminar on Governance and Cultural Exchange Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 30, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the event organizer]
"If ever there was a time when the collective influence and relevance of BRICS was testedfor filling a leadership gap which is threatening global economic governance and its benefits for humanity, that time is now," Matona said.
Matona emphasized South Africa's longstanding commitment to a development-oriented, rules-based trading system and called for BRICS to play a leading role.
He urged the grouping to advocate for inclusive WTO reform that addresses developing economies' needs, resist trade fragmentation by promoting consensus and cooperation, and leverage collective influence to ensure the multilateral system remains a source of equitable growth.
The BRICS Seminar on Governance and Cultural Exchange Forum was co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, China International Communications Group and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.
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