BRICS leaders meet in Johannesburg

DW correspondent Dianne Hawker said the first day of the summit was characterized by how BRICS member states will improve trade, with agriculture and clean energy topping the agenda.

"The main attraction of the day were the addresses from the BRICS leaders. Russian President Vladimir Putin was conspicuous in his absence, although he addressed the event virtually," Hawker said.

Putin went on to "speak out against what he called unlawful sanctions against Russia in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine," Hawker said from Johannesburg.

Looking ahead, BRICS leaders are expected to discuss whether new members will be allowed to join the bloc.

"If they choose not to add any new members, what is clear is that BRICS is open to making new friends, especially with those on the African continent," Hawker concluded.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the BRICS bloc was steering towards meeting the hopes of the "global majority." He made the comment in a recorded address played at the summit being held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"We cooperate on the principles of equality, partnership support, respect for each other’s interests, and this is the essence of the future-oriented strategic course of our association, a course that meets the aspirations of the main part of the world community, the so-called global majority," Putin said.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa together represent more than 40% of the world's population and while the summit is expected to address the addition of members, Putin made no mention of that in his address.

Speculation that Putin would attend the summit placed South Africa in a diplomatic quandary, considering the International Criminal Court's warrant for his arrest for allegedly deporting Ukrainian children. As a signatory of the Rome Statute, South Africa would have been compelled to arrest Putin had he set foot on its shores.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said BRICS is not meant to challenge other international coalitions but to "organize" the so-called Global South.

"We do not want to be a counterpoint to the G7, G20 or the United States," Lula said. 

He said he supported other countries joining BRICS, but with certain conditions "so it does not become a Tower of Babel."

"We want BRICS to be a multilateral institution, not an exclusive club," Lula added.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa plays host to Lula da Silva, China's President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a meeting of BRICS leaders in Johannesburg.

But some 50 other leaders from around the world are also attending the gathering.

Among them are Iran's Ebrahim Raisi and Indonesia's President Joko Widodo.

At least 40 countries have shown interest in becoming members, with 23 having submitted their applications.

The US, meanwhile, said it does not see the BRICS bloc turning into a geopolitical rival. 

"This is a very diverse collection of countries ... with differences of view on critical issues," White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is leading his country's delegation to the BRICS summit in South Africa. 

President Vladimir Putin will not attend the meeting in Johannesburg in person as South Africa was compelled to arrest him on an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

He would, however, speak via video link to the delegates at the gathering. 

A small group of protesters waved Ukrainian flags outside the conference venue and held up  placards reading "Go home Lavrov."

BRICS ministers have been discussing global food security in initial talks, according to DW correspondent Dianne Hawker.

"Agriculture has been a significant focus of the first panel discussion, with various leaders saying that the BRICS countries need to focus on food security," Hawker tweeted.

"This is quite interesting since many countries have seen food prices increase significantly since the start of the war in Ukraine, South Africa included," she said. "Many countries are experiencing a cost of living crisis and food is part of that."

Ukraine is one of the world's largest grain suppliers. Russia allowed a deal guaranteeing Ukrainian grain exports to expire on July 17.

Hawker added that Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said Brazil aims to be an "exporter of clean technology and biofuel."

Chinese President Xi Jinping praised cooperation with South Africa during a visit to Pretoria.

The Chinese leader made the remarks while speaking with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg.

"Today, standing at a new historical starting point, inheriting friendship, deepening cooperation, and strengthening coordination are the common aspirations of the two countries, and are also the important tasks entrusted to us by the times," Xi said.

"We will unswervingly promote continuous development of Sino-South African relations," he said.

Leaders of the BRICS countries are mulling over admitting new members to the bloc during a summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"An expanded BRICS will represent a diverse group of nations with different political systems that share a common desire to have a more balanced global order," South Africa's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said ahead of meetings.

A major proponent of enlargement is Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met with Ramaphosa before the summit. Ramaphosa said that South Africa and China share similar views on expanding the bloc.

South African officials say that over 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, with nearly two dozen having submitted a formal request for membership.

sdi/fb (AFP, Reuters)