The BRICS Summit, comprised of top leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is set to begin next week amid considerable speculation, and the entire world will be watching what happens on the platform. Members of the forum will meet in Johannesburg from August 22–24, representing approximately 40% and 26% of the world population and GDP, respectively.
BRICS 2023 theme: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism”
As previously stated, the 15th edition of the summit will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa from August 22 to 24. The Sandton Convention Centre (SCC) in Johannesburg, Gauteng, will host the summit. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, this will be the first in-person BRICS meeting, making the gathering even more important. On January 1, 2023, South Africa took over the rotational chairmanship of the organization from China. As a result, the African country declared the summit’s subject to be “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism.”
Notably, South Africa joined BRICS for the first time in April 2011 at the third summit in Sanya, China. Prior to South Africa’s participation, the meeting was known as BRIC, a term invented by Goldman Sachs‘ Jim O’Neil in 2001. South Africa, as president, has set a number of goals for the summit, including:
1) Creating a collaborative effort to achieve an equal and just transition.
2) Improving future education and skill development.
3) Creating opportunities through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
4) Improving post-pandemic socioeconomic recovery and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
5) Strengthening multilateralism, particularly efforts to reform global governance institutions and increase women’s meaningful participation in peace processes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the summit in person
The conference is likely to be attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Lula da Silva, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. According to Ramaphosa, Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the summit in person. According to rumors, Putin’s absence is due to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against him for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Because South Africa is a signatory to the International Criminal Court, it is obligated to arrest Putin if he lands on South African soil.
South Africa’s presidency termed the agreement for Putin not to attend as “mutual” and said it came about after a “number of consultations” on the summit. Notably, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend. South Africa, as the host country, has also sent an invitation to 67 leaders from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Caribbean, according to South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor. One of the most contentious issues in the run-up to the summit has been the grouping’s growth. The dominant force batting for the expansion has been China, which is hoping to use the forum to bolster its geopolitical influence against the United States.
Russia, which has been isolated as a result of its conflict with Ukraine, is entirely supportive of the extension, as is South Africa. India remains hesitant and noncommittal, while Brazil is skeptical of any new addition. While adding members remains a priority, members are expected to first flesh out the admission requirements for new members. Since the organization was formed to bring together growing economies that were poised to dominate the global economy by 2050, it remains to be seen whether the standards are changed to allow for new countries, according to experts.
BRICS leaders will interact with businesses at the BRICS Business Forum and with the New Development Bank
Notably, Argentina, Indonesia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia have indicated interest in joining BRICS. Apart from new admissions, BRICS leaders will interact with businesses at the BRICS Business Forum and with the New Development Bank, the BRICS Business Council, and other organizations at the summit. South Africa will also continue its outreach to leaders from Africa and the global South and hold a BRICS outreach and BRICS plus dialogue during the summit.
Ahead of the summit, South Africa’s radical leftist opposition party urged the leaders of the forum from China, India, and Brazil to boycott the summit in solidarity with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who will not be attending. “We call on the presidents of the People’s Republic of China, India, and Brazil not to come to the BRICS summit in solidarity with President Putin,” said Julius Malema, leader of South Africa’s third-largest party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Western media agencies reported that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also not attend the summit, fueling speculation that the Johannesburg gathering was doomed from the start. However, New Delhi criticized those allegations, claiming that PM Modi will be attending the summit.