Presidency Clarifies That South Africa Is Still Host of 2023 BRICS Summit After Reports of Venue Change

• The Presidency hosted a media briefing to clarify the claim that South Africa was looking for a different location to host the Brics Summit
• This follows various media reports speculating that South Africa was considering a venue change to avoid arresting Russia's President Vladimir Putin
• South Africans have shared varied opinions on South Africa's obligation to arrest Putin should he come to the Brics Summit

JOHANNESBURG - The Presidency has poured cold water on reports that the South African government is looking for a different country to host the Brics Summit scheduled in August.

The Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya stated that South Africa remains the host and chair of the summit.

South Africa assessing options around hosting the Brics Summit

During a media briefing held on Thursday, 1 June, Magwenya stated that the government was discussing the various permutations of South Africa hosting the Brics summit, reports SABC News.

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SA considers venue change for BRICS summit as Vladimir Putin’s ICC arrest warrant continues to create hurdles

This comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC) sent Russian President Vladimir Putin's arrest warrant to Justice Ministry, according to Mail & Guardian.

Earlier media reports indicated that South Africa was considering hosting the summit in China or Mozambique to avoid being compiled to carry out the ICC's arrest warrant.

China and Mozambique are not signatories of the ICC treaty. Magwenya told the media that the government has yet to decide how the Brics Summit will proceed.

@MbuyiseloMafil1 said:

"So, SA is scared of NATO, and its friends,"

@NqununuHQ said:

"Why is Mozambique being considered as a host? It is not even a member of BRICS. Take this summit to China. It is 2 months away. There's time to prepare."

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DA launches legal bid to compel govt to arrest Putin, sparking debate in SA: “The DA is being used as pawns”

@BetwaySolutions said:

"We need to remove ourselves from the ICC."

@muimbi_princem said:

"Putin won't even come to South Africa. People are busy cracking their heads for nothing. Please save this tweet. Putin not coming to S. A, he will do Zoom with the rest."

SA considers venue change for BRICS summit as Vladimir Putin’s ICC arrest warrant continues to create hurdles

Briefly News previously reported that the South African government is making contingency plans for the annual Brics summit, which is meant to be held in the country in August.

The government is considering moving the summit to a different country as it fails to find a way around the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to Mail & Guardian, SA's justice ministry confirmed that it had received the arrest warrant and said SA would be obligated to act on it if Putin came to the country.

Source: Briefly News