Russian President Putin to skip BRICS Summit in South Africa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa affirms country's preparedness to host the momentous 15th BRICS Summit in August, uniting Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Cape Town: Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the BRICS nations summit to be held in South Africa, announced the office of the South African President.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed South Africa’s readiness to host the historic 15th Summit of BRICS nations- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in August.

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It will be the first summit hosted in person since the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent global restrictions. The Summit will be attended by the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa.

The BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will attend the first BRICS Summit to be hosted in person since the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent global restrictions. The Russian Federation will be represented by Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, as per the Presidency’s press statement.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Wednesday, “By mutual agreement, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will not attend the summit but the Russian Federation will be represented by foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.” President Ramaphosa has in recent months and weeks held a number of consultations on the hosting of the Summit. The President’s most recent consultation in this regard took place last night, Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at the BRICS Political Party Dialogue in Gauteng.

In due course, a comprehensive statement on the substantive issues to be covered at the Summit and other related foreign policy matters will be issued. President Ramaphosa is confident that the Summit will be a success and calls on the nation to extend the necessary hospitality to the many delegates who will arrive from various parts of the continent and the globe.

“President Ramaphosa has in recent months and weeks held a number of consultations on the hosting of the summit. The president’s most recent consultation in this regard took place last night, Tuesday, July 18, at the BRICS political party dialogue in Gauteng.

“The summit will be attended by the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa. In due course, a comprehensive statement on the substantive issues to be covered at the summit and other related foreign policy matters will be issued.

“President Ramaphosa is confident the summit will be a success and calls on the nation to extend hospitality to the many delegates who will arrive from various parts of the continent and the globe,” as per the South African Presidency.

Earlier, the South African government granted diplomatic immunity to all international participants, including Russian President Vladamir Putin and other Russian officials, at BRICS-related events to be held in the country, as per local media.

“Immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their personal baggage, and, in respect of words spoken or written and all acts done by them in their capacity as representatives, immunity from legal process of every kind,” the document reads.

A warrant for Putin’s arrest was issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague in March, and since South Africa is a member of the formation, it is obliged to arrest Putin when he is in the country.

Despite this, South Africa, as the current chair of the BRICS alliance, has officially invited Putin to the summit in August.