BRICS a powerful force against US protectionism

The invitation to the leaders of 22 emerging and developing countries, including 19 from Africa, made the just concluded BRICS summit in Johannesburg an even more important platform to demonstrate that the developing world and emerging economies as a whole, along with many developed economies, are strongly opposed to the Donald Trump administration's trade protectionist policies and punitive tariffs on imports.

The US administration has imposed high tariffs on imports from many economies, especially China, to push forward Trump's "America first" strategy. Some economies, China, India, and Russia in particular, have been forced to impose additional tariffs on US imports in response. And Brazil is worried about the US tariffs, on its steel products, even though its farmers may benefit from increased export of agricultural products to China.

A number of South African companies producing steel for the US market, including ArcelorMittal South Africa, the world's leading integrated steel and mining company, and Hulamin, an enterprise that supplies aluminum products for Elon Musk's Tesla vehicles, are also deeply worried about the US tariffs.