Vice President Kashim Shettima is set to depart from Abuja on Monday to represent President Bola Tinubu at the upcoming 15th BRICS Summit of Heads of States and Governments. The prestigious summit is scheduled to take place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 22 to 24.
Shettima’s participation in the summit will see him join a diverse gathering of international business magnates and political figures. The announcement of his role was relayed through a statement from the Office of the Vice President’s Director of Information, Olusola Abiola.
The overarching agenda of the summit encompasses a wide array of critical subjects.
These encompass themes of trade and investment facilitation, sustainable development, innovation, and the much-debated topic of global governance reform.
An integral aspect of the discussions will focus on pressing global matters including geopolitics, international trade dynamics, and the crucial realm of infrastructure development.
BRICS 2023?
The BRICS 2023 Summit is set to bring together the heads of state or government from the five member nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The summit is slated to be a significant gathering of global leaders, showcasing the collective strength and influence of these emerging economies.
Among the distinguished attendees is President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, who assumed the rotating chairship of the BRICS group in January.
Additionally, President Xi Jinping of China, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the President of the New Development Bank, President Lula da Silva of Brazil, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India are also scheduled to participate.
GOVIMA reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be present at the summit in person. Instead, he is expected to contribute to the discussions via video link.
The virtual address by President Putin is scheduled to take place on August 23, as confirmed by South Africa’s BRICS envoy, Anil Sooklal.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be leading the delegation representing Russia at the BRICS 2023 Summit. This high-level representation underscores the significance of the summit in terms of shaping international cooperation and strategic partnerships.
The summit aims to sustain its engagement with leaders from Africa and other parts of the global South, demonstrating its commitment to fostering international cooperation.