INTUSK MAGAZINE

In response to rumors that the BRICS summit might be moved to China so that Russian President Vladimir Putin could attend in a country that would not be required to detain him on war crimes charges, South Africa announced on Thursday that it would host the event as scheduled.

Because Putin is wanted for questioning in connection with the expulsion of children from Ukraine, South Africa, a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC), is required to detain him if he attends the talks between the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

On June 17, he met with the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, in Russia. Since the African National Congress (ANC) was a liberation movement battling white minority rule decades earlier, Russia has historically been a staunch ally of the ruling party.

"South Africa will host the 15th BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Sandton, Johannesburg, from 22 to 24 August 2023," the Department of International Relations said in a statement.

The BRICS nations were reportedly considering moving the summit to China, which is not a member of the international court, according to South African officials at the end of last month. They could still decide to switch the location right before the event.

Naledi Pandor, the minister of international relations for South Africa, stated on Tuesday that Putin has yet to respond to an invitation that was sent before the ICC indicted him on March 18.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are all planning to attend, Pandor said.

South Africa says it is neutral in the Ukraine conflict, but has been criticised by Western powers for being friendly to Russia, including hosting Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and conducting joint naval exercises.