Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.

South Africa preparing to host BRICS leaders in August: Sherpa

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Apr 2023 16:19
  • 3 Shares
4 Min Read

South Africa is preparing to host the upcoming BRICS summit in August, which is set to be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

  • x
  • South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during the Leaders Dialogue with BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank, at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, November 14, 2019 (AP)
    South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during the Leaders Dialogue with BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank, at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, November 14, 2019 (AP)

South Africa has begun preparing to host all BRICS leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, as part of their participation in the August summit, Anil Sooklal, South Africa's Sherpa in BRICS told Russian news agency Sputnik.

The official underlined that it has been confirmed that all leaders will be attending the summit after Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in March that no decision had been made regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's participation.

According to Sooklal, the Russian President had received the invitation sent by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and did not express any disavowals. The African nation is preparing for a full-fledged summit, he underlined.

Furthermore, he raised concerns over the US-led West's pressure on Russia, including unilateral sanctions against Moscow, stressing that sanctions imposed by the United Nations were the only ones considered by Cape Town.

South Africa's international relations minister Naledi Pandor said her country would not cut ties with Russia as per the wishes of third parties or countries. 

She further said that her country has currently been granted the BRICS presidency for this year in January and she was looking forward to further collaborating with Russia within the BRICS framework.

Furthermore, the Sherpa underlined that his country's ties to Russia were now stronger than ever, noting that cooperation among BRICS member states was only growing stronger, becoming more intense in light of Western pressures as numerous states are voicing their aspirations to join the group.

A geological platform for BRICS?

Related News

Fed Governor Cook says she won't resign after Trump fired her

Syria welcomes US decision to lift sanctions, hosts US delegation

High-raking Russian and South African officials discussed the prospect of establishing a “geological platform” for BRICS, the Russian Natural Resources Ministry said in late March.

"Alexander Kozlov, the minister of natural resources and environment of the Russian Federation, met with Mosa Mabuza, the chief executive officer of the Council of Geoscience of South Africa. The main topic of the discussion was establishing a 'geological platform' of the BRICS member states," the ministry said.

Read more: South Africa: BRICS mulling new payment system to ditch dollar control

Meetings between geological experts of the BRICS nations will serve as the first stage for developing the platform; after which a memorandum will be adopted, according to the Russian ministry’s statement. 

BRICS members account for 30% of the global gross output and 40% of the global population. The bloc includes the world's major developing countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It was also announced, recently, that a handful of medium-sized economies intend to join the bloc: Argentina, Algeria Iran, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. 

Read next: Lavrov: Algeria main contender to join BRICS

This comes at a time when BRICS countries are de-dollarizing trade, as China and Brazil struck last week a deal to ditch the US dollar in their bilateral transactions, which is expected to reduce investment costs and develop economic ties between the two countries.

India also tore into the greenback, as the country's Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal announced last Sunday that the Indian rupee (IND) may now be used as a trade currency to substitute the use of the US dollar in foreign trade.

The new policy was hailed as "dynamic and responsive" and is intended to be used in trade with countries that are facing a shortage of dollars or currency failure in the wake of the Fed's sharpest tightening of monetary policy in decades.

The BRICS have recently agreed to create their own currency. However, details have not been disclosed yet as members are expected to participate and share their ideas on the matter in a forthcoming session of the BRICS summit in August 2017.

  • United States
  • BRICS countries
  • BRICS nations
  • BRICS
  • Russia
  • India
  • Brazil
  • South Africa
  • United Nations
  • China
  • Vladimir Putin

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS