The 15th BRICS Summit, which took place between 22 and 24 August in Johannesburg, concluded with some key declarations, including adding six more countries to the bloc. The focus this year was on the relationship between BRICS and the African continent and how the bloc could unlock and drive the Free Trade Agreement. SAIIA’s Chief Executive Elizabeth Sidiropoulos participated in an ENCA panel to discuss the Summit’s outcomes. According to Sidiropoulos, the participation of Africa and many other countries in the Global South was very important.