Host South Africa Confirms Brics Leaders Will Attend In Person

The Brics Summit scheduled for August 22-24, 2023 in South Africa, will be attended in person by the five Brics country leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. This was confirmed by South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday, July 13, 2023, according to Eyewitness News, writes Jerry Chifamba for AllAfrica.

This follows controversy around the attendance of Russian leader, President Vladimir Putin after the International Criminal Court in the Hague, issued a warrant for his arrest for war crimes in Ukraine. The warrant holds South Africa responsible for arresting Putin. The South African government issued the invitation to Putin before the warrant was issued and it is causing a foreign relations nightmare. To sidestep arresting the leader, Putin's virtual attendance was mooted. The shifting of the summit to China was also explored but it was turned down. South Africa has since awarded diplomatic immunity to all foreign dignitaries attending the Brics summit, in an attempt to avoid arresting Putin.

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Flags of Brazil, India, China, Russia and South Africa - member countries of Brics.

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