South Africa to host BRICS summit on Israel-Hamas war
The Hindu
South Africa will host a virtual summit of the BRICS group of nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday to discuss the Israel-Hamas war, Pretoria and Moscow said Monday
South Africa will host a virtual summit of the BRICS group of nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday to discuss the Israel-Hamas war, Pretoria and Moscow said Monday.
The BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - are a group of major emerging economies seeking to reshape the US and Western-led global order.
Tuesday's "Extraordinary Joint Meeting on the Middle East Situation in Gaza" will be hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the hope of drawing up a common response to the more than six-week conflict.
Leaders from Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates - who are all due to join the BRICS group in January 2024 - will attend the meeting.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also participate, the South African presidency said in a statement.
It added that all five BRICS heads of state will join the virtual summit, after which a joint statement with particular reference to Gaza is expected.
Fighting is raging in Gaza after a shock Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, with around 240 people taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.