SA prepares for in-person Brics summit despite Putin’s warrant of arrest

On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the Brics Summit – set to take place in August 2023 – will not be held virtually.

And yes, Russian President Vladimir Putin is on the guest list, in spite of his standing arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Despite international outcry, South Africa hasn’t condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, expressing instead a preference for dialogue.

In-person Brics Summit

Meeting with members of the fourth estate on 9 July, Ramaphosa said he is “committed to having a summit where we are going to eyeball each other.

“Sorry to disappoint you, it’s not going going to be virtual.”

Face-to-face meeting overdue

Ramaphosa said preparations for the Brics Summit were in their final stages, and he underlined that a face-to-face meeting has been overdue for almost three years.

The president said: “Our non-aligned status means we are connected to all countries in the world.

“This is the policy position we intend to pursue moving forward. We learned this approach from Former President, Nelson Mandela”.

Ramaphosa, however, didn’t clarify whether Putin would be present.

Possible move to China

As the current chair of the Brics, South Africa is set to host the 15th summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 22 to 24 August.

However, the rumour mill has it that the summit might be relocated to China, in order to circumvent this thorny diplomatic predicament.

South Africa’s diplomatic conundrum is further complicated by its longstanding affinity with the Kremlin, dating back to the anti-apartheid struggle era.

Africa’s peacekeeping mission

Back in June, Ramaphosa headed a peacekeeping mission in the East, during which he negotiated peace between Kyif and Mosco.

Joined by leaders from the Republic of Congo, Egypt, Senegal, and Uganda, the mission was aimed to mitigate the consequences of the Ukraine-Russia war.

Their proposal included ten points of action, encompassing de-escalation, recognition of sovereignty, unhindered grain exports via the Black Sea, and repatriation of prisoners of war and children.