Russian Foreign Minister arrives at BRICS Summit in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday landed in the South African city of Johannesburg to take part in the 15th BRICS Summit.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin will participate in the summit via videoconference, Lavrov will personally represent Russia at the BRICS Summit.

The Russian diplomat's aircraft touched down at the South African Air Force facility in Waterkloof, just like on his trip to Pretoria in January.

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, will take part in the summit via videoconference. The Russian leader will brief the attendees on a variety of topics, including the goals of Russia's association presidency in 2024.

Earlier, the South African government granted diplomatic immunity to all international participants, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials, at BRICS-related events to be held in the country, as per local media.

"Immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their personal baggage, and, in respect of words spoken or written and all acts done by them in their capacity as representatives, immunity from legal process of every kind," the document reads.

A warrant for Putin's arrest was issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague in March, and since South Africa is a member of the formation, it is obliged to arrest Putin when he is in the country. Despite this, South Africa, as the current chair of the BRICS alliance, has officially invited Putin to the summit in August.

The largest gathering of heads of state and government from the Global South in recent years will take place during the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg from August 22–24.

The 15th BRICS Summit's Johannesburg Declaration will include the final agreements, according to the Kremlin press office, as reported by Russian news agency TASS.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Johannesburg on Tuesday evening, while the Chinese president Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Lula da Silva have arrived in Johannesburg.

The BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

This year's BRICS is under the presidency of South Africa and is organising the first face-to-face summit since 2019 in Johannesburg.

South Africa became Chair of BRICS on January 1 under the theme: "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism."

During his visit to South Africa, PM Modi will also participate in a special event "BRICS – Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue" being organized after the BRICS Summit, which will include other nations invited by South Africa, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced in a press release.