The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will host the Sixth BRICS Sherpas Meeting from 30 November to 3 December 2023 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

The purpose of the meeting is to reflect on South Africa’s tenure as Chair of BRICS for the year 2023 and to prepare for a handover to the next Chair, the Russian Federation.

South Africa’s term as BRICS Chair ends on 31 December 2023. The Russian Federation will take over on 1 January 2024.

The countries that have been invited to join BRICS (i.e., Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE) are expected to participate in the Sherpas Meeting.

The media are invited as follows:

BRICS Sherpas Meeting

Date: 30 November 2023

Time: 09h00 (Media to cover opening remarks)

Venue: Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel

Extended BRICS Sherpas Meeting

Date: 2 December 2023

Time: 09h00 (Media to cover opening remarks)

Venue: Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel

Media Briefing

Date: 3 December 2023

Time: 12h00

Venue: Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel

Please RSVP by 15h00 on Monday, 27 November 2023: Maebaf@dirco.gov.za

Enquiries: Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, 082 884 5974

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

OR Tambo Building

460 Soutpansberg Road

Rietondale

Pretoria

0084

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will host the Sixth BRICS Sherpas Meeting from 30 November to 3 December 2023 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

The purpose of the meeting is to reflect on South Africa’s tenure as Chair of BRICS for the year 2023 and to prepare for a handover to the next Chair, the Russian Federation.

South Africa’s term as BRICS Chair ends on 31 December 2023. The Russian Federation will take over on 1 January 2024.

The countries that have been invited to join BRICS (i.e., Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE) are expected to participate in the Sherpas Meeting.

The media are invited as follows:

BRICS Sherpas Meeting

Date: 30 November 2023

Time: 09h00 (Media to cover opening remarks)

Venue: Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel

Extended BRICS Sherpas Meeting

Date: 2 December 2023

Time: 09h00 (Media to cover opening remarks)

Venue: Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel

Media Briefing

Date: 3 December 2023

Time: 12h00

Venue: Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel

Please RSVP by 15h00 on Monday, 27 November 2023: Maebaf@dirco.gov.za

Enquiries: Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, 082 884 5974

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

OR Tambo Building

460 Soutpansberg Road

Rietondale

Pretoria

0084

We, Leaders and representatives of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa met with Leaders of the Argentine Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 21 November 2023 to exchange views on the current situation in Gaza and other Palestinian Occupied Territories as well as its spillover effects.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will, as Chair of the BRICS group of nations, convene a BRICS Extraordinary Joint Meeting on the Middle East situation in Gaza tomorrow, Tuesday, 21 November 2023.

Leaders of BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – will join the virtual Extraordinary Meeting with invited BRICS leaders of Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

President Ramaphosa will deliver opening remarks at the BRICS Extraordinary Meeting, where member and invited states will also deliver country statements on the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, will participate in the virtual meeting, at the end of which leaders are expected to adopt a Joint Statement on the situation in the Middle East with particular reference to Gaza.

Parts of the proceedings will be open to media, who are welcome to follow these sessions as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 21 November 2023

Time: 14h00

Platform: PresidencyZA and South Africa Government digital platforms

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to President Ramaphosa – media@presidency.gov.za

ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA