MOSCOW: In a surprising development, the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not be attending the upcoming BRICS summit scheduled to be held next month in South Africa. Instead, Russia will be represented by its Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, as confirmed by Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.
The decision was reportedly made by mutual agreement between the two leaders. The BRICS summit will bring together the heads of state of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, marking the first in-person summit since the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions.
President Ramaphosa, who has been actively involved in the preparations for the summit, expressed South Africa’s readiness to host the historic 15th summit of the BRICS nations. He has been engaged in consultations in recent months to ensure the success of the event. President Ramaphosa’s latest consultation in this regard occurred during the BRICS political party dialogue in Gauteng on Tuesday, July 18.
Significance of BRICS Summit
While President Putin’s absence is notable, President Ramaphosa remains optimistic about the summit’s success. He called upon the nation to extend a warm welcome and hospitality to the numerous delegates who would be arriving from different parts of the continent and the globe.
In due course, a comprehensive statement will be issued addressing the substantive issues to be covered at the summit, along with other related foreign policy matters.
The BRICS summit serves as a crucial platform for the member countries to discuss various economic, political, and social issues, with a focus on strengthening cooperation and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships. The absence of President Putin will undoubtedly create a void, but the participation of Foreign Minister Lavrov ensures that Russia’s interests and perspectives will still be represented during the high-level gathering.
