South Africa says Brics summit will benefit Africa and global south

South Africa’s Foreign Minister, Naledi Pandor, says she the upcoming BRICS Summit will strengthen the bloc's partnership and benefit the people of member states, as well as the African continent and the global South.

The minister was addressing members of the media on South Africa prepares to host the 15th BRICS Summit, scheduled for 22 to 24 August 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre, the MENAFN news agency reported.

“We call on South Africans to continue to extend the warmest of South African welcomes to the many official delegates, businesspeople, media and civil society, who will arrive from various parts of the continent and the world shortly for the summit,” she said.

Pandor told the media that President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed South Africa's readiness to host the upcoming BRICS Summit, which will be hosted in person for the first time since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We chair BRICS in a dynamic global environment where the eyes of the world are on us. Developments in the ICC [International Criminal Court] were the sole topic of discussion around the summit for most of the year.

“We have consistently stated that we are aware of our domestic and international legal obligations. We have also been very conscious of the diplomatic implications of the narratives created around these developments.”

Following an intensive engagement with the five-nation grouping, BRICS, she reaffirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would “actively” participate in the summit virtually.

She announced that the remaining leaders of Brazil, India, China, and South Africa would attend physically.

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