BRICS Summit: All 5 heads of State to attend in person
There has been speculation that August’s BRICS Summit would take place virtually amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arrest warrant from the ICC, but Ramaphosa said that the event would happen in person.
JOHANNESBURG - Amid the ongoing speculation on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit to be held in South Africa in August, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the event would go ahead and would take place in person.
Ramaphosa brought this to light at a BRICS Business Council meeting in Sandton on Thursday night.
Following the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Putin, there have been suggestions that the event could happen virtually.
But Ramaphosa said this would not be the case.
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Earlier at the same event where Ramaphosa was speaking, BRICS Business Council head Stavrous Nichalouw said all heads of State from the five BRICS nations would attend August’s gathering.
Ramaphosa told business leaders and ambassadors gathered at the Sandton Convention Centre that the BRICS Summit would not happen virtually as some suggested.
"There were rumours that this too could become an online summit - no. It is going to be face to face, eyeball to eyeball.”
Nichalouw told the same gathering that all five heads of State would be at the summit.
"Expect a number of heads of State. But importantly, the five BRICS heads of State will attend the forum."
At least 22 heads of State already confirmed their attendance at the summit, scheduled to take place in Johannesburg.
