South Africa, as rotating chair of BRICS, is gearing up to host the 15th BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg on 22-24 August 2023, under the theme: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism.”
There is no overstating the importance of the high-profile event that will bring together the world's leading developing economies, collectively known as BRICS - an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The first in-person BRICS summit since the COVID-19 pandemic comes as the member states have been expanding their political clout and increasing their share in global GDP, outperforming the G7. Furthermore, the rise of BRICS has been demonstrating the possibility of a power shift from the Global North to South, with the bloc heralding the decline of the United States as a unipolar superpower.
Sputnik takes a look at who is participating in BRICS 2023, who have been invited as guests, and what countries are currently knocking on the door of the bloc.
Which Countries Are Participating in BRICS 2023?
The heads of state or heads of government of the five member states - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - will be attending the BRICS 2023 Summit this year. Accordingly, on the list are President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, which took up the rotating chairship of the group in January, China’s President Xi Jinping, Brazil’s President Lula da Silva, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the gathering in person, but is expected to participate in the summit via video link.
The online speech of Russian President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit in South Africa is expected to take place on August 23, according to Anil Sooklal, South Africa's BRICS envoy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be heading the country's delegation at the BRICS 2023 Summit.
BRICS 2023 Guests
The South African president has "invited (with consensus support from his fellow BRICS Leaders) sixty-seven (67) Leaders from Africa and the global South to attend the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogues. The Leaders cover all the continents and regions of the global South," South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said earlier in August. Another 20 representatives of international organizations have also been invited, the minister said.
"The President has also invited twenty (20) dignitaries that include the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the President of the New Development Bank, the Chairs and Executive Heads of African Regional Economic Communities, African financial institutions, and the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and CEO of the African Union Development Agency," the statement said.
Currently, 41 countries have confirmed their participation, with more expected, according to Anil Sooklal.
Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik will participate in the BRICS Summit, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz told Sputnik. "On the instructions of the head of state, our delegation [to BRICS] will be headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Aleinik," Glaz said. He added that the country will participate in the BRICS-AFRICA Outreach and BRICS+ dialogues. This will be the first time Belarus takes part in BRICS Summit events, Glaz noted.
No Western leaders have been invited.
Earlier this year, Emmanuel Macron's top diplomat, Catherine Colonna, confirmed that the French president was interested in going to Johannesburg as an observer to attend the summit. Macron's proposal was met with a mixed reaction from BRICS, with Russia arguing that the French president’s participation would be "inappropriate," given Paris’ hostile policy toward Moscow. In early August, it was officially announced that Emmanuel Macron would not be invited to BRICS 2023.
BRICS 2023 Agenda
On the first day of the summit, August 22, a business forum will be held, with heads of state addressing participants at the final session in the evening. After that, the BRICS leaders will meet each other in a closed session. “The agenda here is open – they will be able to exchange views on any topic they consider necessary,” Anil Sooklal clarified.
Events on August 23 will be divided into two sessions. The first, a closed-doors one, will supposedly last an hour and a half, and the second, open session – ostensibly about two hours. During the first session, the leaders of the member states, along with 10 representatives from each delegation, will reportedly discuss geopolitics, security issues, finance, and economics. The open session will include, in particular, representatives of the Business Council, the Women's Business Alliance, and the BRICS New Development Bank, with reports presented by these organizations.
At the end of the summit, the heads of member states will adopt a final declaration, which the BRICS Sherpas have already begun work on, Sooklal added.
Which Countries Want to Join BRICS?
BRICS enlargement is high on the agenda and will be discussed at the upcoming summit of the group in South Africa, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said ahead of the gathering.
Over 40 countries have expressed their desire to join BRICS, with 23 of them doing so officially, according to South African top diplomat Naledi Pandor.
"We have had formal expressions of interest from the Leaders of 23 countries in joining BRICS, and many more informal approaches about the possibilities of BRICS membership," Pandor said.
Among those who have officially applied are Argentina, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Senegal, Algeria, Ethiopia, Iran, and Indonesia. "The list of countries is large," Anil Sooklal said.