The South African government officially confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present at the upcoming BRICS Summit, dispelling rumours suggesting his absence. Naledi Pandor, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, briefed the media about South Africa’s preparations for the 15th edition of the summit. She revealed that leaders from Brazil, China, India, and South Africa would partake in a range of discussions, while Russian President Vladimir Putin would attend virtually due to a potential arrest warrant.
Pandor expressed disbelief at the rumours and noted that efforts were made to verify the claims. She emphasized that Modi had never indicated non-attendance. She said, “The Prime Minister of India has never said that he is not attending the Summit. I am in constant contact with foreign minister Jaishankar. He has never said that. Our sherpas are in touch and they have never said it. So, we have all been trying to look for this needle in a haystack that began this rumour.”
The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi confirmed Modi’s participation and explained that President Cyril Ramaphosa had invited him to the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg from August 22-24, 2023. After a telephone conversation between the leaders, a press release from the MEA on August 3 affirmed Modi’s acceptance of the invitation.
Addressing questions about the timing of the phone call between Modi and Ramaphosa, Pandor clarified that the call had been planned in advance to discuss various ongoing issues and wasn’t linked to the rumours of non-attendance.
Pandor detailed the comprehensive program planned for the Summit, which included a content-rich BRICS Business program hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition, along with the BRICS Business Council. The program aimed to promote economic growth, collaboration, investment attraction, and the showcasing of opportunities within South Africa, Africa, and the BRICS nations. All Business Councils from the BRICS countries were expected to send large delegations for sector-specific visits to various areas in South Africa.
Pandor highlighted that the BRICS leaders would deliberate on opportunities to harness the full potential of BRICS for global recovery and sustainable development. The Summit’s agenda would include national statements from leaders followed by reports from the president of the New Development Bank (NDB), the South African chair of the BRICS Business Alliance, and the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance. This reporting mechanism marked the first time these entities would address the BRICS leaders in person.
The minister explained the New Development Bank’s establishment in 2015 and its role in providing financial support for infrastructure and sustainable development in emerging markets. She noted that the bank had expanded its membership in 2021, solidifying its position as a preferred global financing mechanism.
Pandor emphasized that the BRICS countries played a central role in the global recovery. She pointed out that BRICS membership aimed to leverage political and economic relations to address the challenges of inequality, poverty, and unemployment through increased trade, investment, tourism, capacity-building, skills, and technology transfer within the member countries.
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