15th BRICS summit

2023 BRICS summit
15th BRICS summit
← 14th 22–24 August 2023 16th →
Host country South Africa
Venue(s)Sandton Convention Centre
CitiesJohannesburg
Participants Brazil
 Russia
 India
 China
 South Africa
Invited bodies:
 African Union
Arab Maghreb Union
 Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
 United Nations
 ASEAN[1]
ChairCyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa
Websitewww.brics2023.gov.za

The 2023 BRICS summit was the fifteenth annual BRICS summit, an international relations conference attended by the heads of state or heads of government of the five member states: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.[2][3] South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also invited the leaders of 67 countries to the summit.[4]

Summit Events

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BRICS Expansion

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Several countries have expressed interest in joining the BRICS group.[5] At the summit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to join the bloc. Full membership took effect on 1 January 2024.[6][7]

Participating leaders

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Other attendees

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Country Position Officeholder Source
 Algeria Finance Minister Laaziz Fayed [10]
 Angola State Minister of Economic Coordenation José de Lima Massano [11]
 Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina [12]
 Belarus Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik [13]
 Bolivia President Luis Arce [14]
 Botswana Vice President Slumber Tsogwane [15]
 Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye [16]
 Cameroon Prime Minister Joseph Ngute [17]
 Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera [18]
 China Commerce Minister Wang Wentao [19]
 Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso [20]
 Cuba President Miguel Díaz-Canel [21]
 DR Congo Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde [22]
 Egypt Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly [23]
 Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed [24]
 Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo [25]
 Eritrea President Isaias Afwerki [26]
 Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo [27]
 Indonesia President Joko Widodo [28]
 Iran President Ebrahim Raisi [29]
 Libya Vice President Musa Al-Koni [30]
 Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera [17]
 Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi [31]
 Namibia President Hage Geingob [32]
 Nigeria Vice President Kashim Shettima [33]
 Palestine Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr [34]
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic President Brahim Ghali [35]
 São Tomé and Príncipe President Carlos Vila Nova [11]
 Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud [13]
 Senegal President Macky Sall [11]
 South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit [36]
 Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan [37]
 Uganda Vice President Jessica Alupo [38]
 United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan [17]
 Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema [39]
 Zimbabwe Vice President Constantino Chiwenga [40]

Controversies

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Participation of Vladimir Putin

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Main article: International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova
The BRICS leaders and Sergei Lavrov (representing Vladimir Putin).

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[41] South Africa is required as an ICC signatory to honour the warrant.[2]

In May 2023, the South African government, led by the African National Congress (ANC),[42] granted all invited leaders diplomatic immunity. It remained unclear at the time whether this would prevent Putin from being arrested if he attended. According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, it was standard practice in South Africa to confer such immunity to attendees of international conferences held in the country.[3]

By early June 2023, moving the summit to China was being considered to avoid the issue.[43] In mid-July 2023, Vladimir Putin announced that he would not attend the summit "by mutual agreement" and would instead be sending Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.[44]

Narendra Modi's refusal to disembark plane

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Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed with Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting for Ethiopia's admission to the alliance

On 22 August 2023, Daily Maverick reported that India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to get off his plane until the deputy president of South Africa was dispatched to welcome him[45][46][47] instead of the government cabinet minister that was present to conduct the airport welcome.[47] The South African government denied that Modi had refused to disembark his plane, saying that Ramaphosa was unable to meet Modi at the airport due to scheduling difficulties, and adding that it was common for government ministers to welcome visiting heads of state.[48]

Following the publication of the story the Daily Maverick experienced a sustained DDOS attack from India[46][49] which forced it to temporarily block access to the site from India.[50] The editor-in-chief of the Daily Maverick speculated that the reason for the DDOS attack was to prevent people in India from reading the article.[49]

Nonattendance by Xi Jinping

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Despite meeting with host Cyril Ramaphosa earlier in the day and attending the BRICS dinner afterward, Chinese President Xi Jinping unexpectedly did not attend the BRICS business forum where he had been scheduled to speak and instead his speech was read out by Minister of Commerce of China Wang Wentao.[51][19]

Notes

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  1. ^ The head of government of China is the Premier, while the President is legally a ceremonial office and has no real power in China's political system. However, the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (top position) has always held this office since 1993 except for the months of transition, and the current paramount leader is Xi Jinping.

References

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  1. ^ "Di Afrika Selatan, Presiden Jokowi Hadiri KTT BRICS". Sekretariat Kabinet Republik Indonesia. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b du Plessis, Carien (29 June 2023). "South Africa to host BRICS summit despite Putin arrest warrant". Reuters. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b Wintour, Patrick (30 May 2023). "South Africa grants Putin and Brics leaders diplomatic immunity for summit". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  4. ^ "SA invites 70 heads of states to the BRICS summit, but Western leaders excluded". City Press. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  5. ^ "19 countries express interest in joining BRICS group". Times of India. Bloomberg. 23 April 2023. Archived from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  6. ^ Shweta, Sharma (24 August 2023). "Brics countries agree major expansion as six countries invited to join". The Independent. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  7. ^ "BRICS welcomes new members in push to reshuffle world order". Reuters. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  8. ^ [Russia will be represented by its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the Johannesburg summit]
  9. ^ "South Africa says Putin to stay away from BRICS summit". Reuters. 19 July 2023. Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Le Ministre des Finances prend part au sommet des BRICS à Johannesburg (Afrique du Sud)". www.mf.gov.dz (in French). 23 May 2023. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  11. ^ a b c BRICS Summit 2023 LIVE: Summit Concludes in South Africa, UN Chief Addresses Media, retrieved 26 August 2023
  12. ^ "Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina holds bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping". India Blooms. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Saudi FM meets with Belarus counterpart at BRICS summit". Arab News. 23 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  14. ^ "Bolivian President confirms his presence at Brics Summit". Prensa Latina. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  15. ^ BRICS Summit 2023 Media
  16. ^ "Burundi's President Takes Off for the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg". RegionWeek. 23 August 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  17. ^ a b c "Heads of State arrive in SA ahead of BRICS Summit | SAnews". www.sanews.gov.za. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Arrival of the President of the Central African Republic, H e Mr Faustin Archange Touadera at OR Tam". YouTube.
  19. ^ a b Bhargav Acharya; Gabriel Araujo (22 August 2023). "BRICS divisions re-emerge ahead of critical expansion debate". Reuters. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023.
  20. ^ "Arrival of President of the Republic of the Congo, H e Denis Sassou Nguesso at Waterkloof Air Force". YouTube.
  21. ^ "China's Xi vows to support Cuba in defending its national sovereignty". Reuters. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  22. ^ [1]
  23. ^ "Egypt's PM attends BRICS summit on behalf of President El Sisi". EgyptToday. 23 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  24. ^ BRICS Summit 2023
  25. ^ BRICS Summit 2023
  26. ^ "BRICS Summit: President Isaias Departs for Johannesburg". TesfaNews. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Arrival of President of Ghana, H e Nana Akufo Addol at OR Tambo International Airport". YouTube.
  28. ^ Indonesian president to attend BRICS summit in South Africa
  29. ^ Iran President Arrives In South Africa To Attend 15th BRICS Summit - Iran Front Page
  30. ^ "Musa Al-Koni participates in the BRICS Summit in South Africa. (In Arabic)". 21 April 2024.
  31. ^ "Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met H.E. Mr. Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique on the sidelines of 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa".
  32. ^ "Arrival of President of Namibia ,H e Hage Geingob at Waterkloof Air Force Base". YouTube.
  33. ^ "Shettima to represent Tinubu at BRICS Summit". 21 August 2023.
  34. ^ BRICS Summit 2023
  35. ^ "The President of the Republic arrives in South Africa to participate in the BRICS summit". Sahara Press Service. 22 August 2023. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  36. ^ BRICS Summit 2023
  37. ^ "LIVE: President Samia attends BRICS Summit 2023 in South Africa". The Citizen. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  38. ^ "Vice President Jessica Alupo Represents President Museveni at the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg". UBC. 23 August 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  39. ^ "Zambia : President Hakainde Hichilema Urges BRICS Countries to Reform Global Capital Costs for Africa". 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  40. ^ BRICS Summit 2023
  41. ^ "Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants against Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova". International Criminal Court. 17 March 2023. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  42. ^ Giordano, Elena; Camut, Nicolas (23 May 2023). "Arrest Putin, South Africa's opposition urges government". Politico. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  43. ^ Carter, Sarah (2 June 2023). "Debate over possible Putin visit heats up in South Africa amid U.S. "concern" over BRICS intentions". CBS. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  44. ^ Peyton, Nellie; Miridzhanian, Anait (19 July 2023). "South Africa says Putin agreed not to attend BRICS summit". Reuters. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  45. ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  46. ^ a b "Modi 'Refused To Disembark From Plane' Over Snub Claims South African Media Report, Not So Say Officials". The Wire. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  47. ^ a b Fabricius, Peter (22 August 2023). "Ramaphosa focused on Xi, Modi threw a tantrum and refused to get off his plane". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  48. ^ Koko, Khaya (23 August 2023). "SA pours cold water on Modi's alleged refusal to disembark plane when welcomed by minister". News24. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  49. ^ a b Patel, Faizel (24 August 2023). "'Daily Maverick' 'under cyberattack' after Modi plane saga report". The Citizen. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  50. ^ O’Regan, Victoria (23 August 2023). "India hits Daily Maverick with malicious cyberattack after report on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'tantrum'". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  51. ^ Jevans Nyabiage (23 August 2023). "No explanation as Xi Jinping unexpectedly skips his speech at Brics business forum". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023.
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