President Ramaphosa treads carefully ahead of BRICS Summit

Hoping to allay any fears ahead of the 15th BRICS Summit being held in Sandton, President Ramaphosa reiterated the country’s foreign-policy stance of non-alignment.

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South Africa faced a huge dilemma in hosting the BRICS Summit this week. Earlier in the year, Reuters reported that the International Criminal Court (ICC) – of which South Africa is a member – issued a warrant against Vladimir Putin. South Africa was obliged to arrest the Russian president for alleged war crimes against the Ukraine if he entered the country.

15TH BRICS SUMMIT

Thankfully it didn’t come to that for the country. The president confirmed that of the 30 heads of state that will attend the BRICS Summit, Putin would only attend virtually.

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Ramaphosa affirmed that South Africa would not be drawn into a contest between global powers. Saying the country was fully committed to a policy of non-alignment. It is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, a forum of more than 120 countries that do not support any major bloc.

TREADING CAREFULLY

“We have resisted pressure to align ourselves with any one of the global powers or with influential blocs of nations. During the Cold War, the stability of many African countries were undermined because of alignment with major powers. This experience has convinced us to seek strategic partnerships with other countries, rather than just one,” Ramaphosa said.

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However, the president was quick to reiterate that the country’s policy of non-alignment did not mean it would stay neutral on matters of national interest. “Our non-aligned position exists alongside our active support for the struggles of the marginalised people of the world,” said Ramaphosa.

BRICS DIPLOMACY

This is the careful diplomacy required to make the 15th BRICS Summit a success for South Africa. It hopes to receive much-needed financial investment from within the bloc. These include for major infrastructure and manufacturing projects.

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Although economists say the trade balance among the BRICS nations was generally tipped in China’s favour, there are mutually beneficial deals to be made between the nations.

The 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg takes place from August 22-24 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre. We will bring you all the news as it takes place.

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