Question NW2713 to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
15 September 2023 - NW2713
Powell, Ms EL to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
Whether a recommendation to move the 2023 BRICS summit to China was made by the Inter-Ministerial Committee set up by the President to deal with how the Government was going to manage issues pertaining to the summit; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, on what date was the recommendation communicated to Cabinet; (2) What are the full costs incurred by her department in relation to the BRICS Foreign Ministers Summit held at the 12 Apostles Hotel from 1 to 2 June 2023? NW3104E
Reply:
1. No recommendation was made to move the Summit to China. Instead, there was a focus on options that would maintain South Africa as the host of the Summit (being the Chair of BRICS in 2023) inside the borders of the country, whether in hybrid, or in-person format, to fully capitalise on the historic opportunity provided by the BRICS bloc expansion and the geo-political environment.
2. The total costs incurred for the hosting of the BRICS Foreign Ministers was ZAR 9, 848 909.51.