Republished with full copyright permissions from The Washington Daily Chronicle.

The BRICS economic bloc, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is set to convene in Johannesburg this week for three days of important meetings. However, this year’s summit comes with an unusual twist as Russian President Vladimir Putin will participate via video call instead of attending in person. The reason behind this decision lies in an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued for Putin earlier this year, putting South Africa, the host nation, in a delicate diplomatic predicament.

Traditionally, all leaders from the BRICS countries attend the bloc’s summits. Nonetheless, due to the ICC warrant charging Putin with war crimes over the removal of children from Ukraine, South Africa found itself facing a challenging situation. As a signatory to the international court’s treaty, South Africa would have been obligated to arrest Putin if he had set foot on its soil. After months of lobbying, an agreement was reached to allow Putin’s virtual participation in the summit. Although Putin will not physically attend, he will play a pivotal role in the main summit meeting, addressing delegates via video link.

One of the key discussions during the summit revolves around the potential expansion of the BRICS bloc. China and Russia have expressed support for enlarging the organization and have seen to be advocating for it. Numerous countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Argentina, Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates, have applied for membership. However, as BRICS operates on a consensus-based approach, all five member nations must agree on the principle of expansion and the criteria for accepting new members. While Brazil, India, and South Africa approach the topic with caution, fearing diluted influence, proposals on criteria for expansion will be reviewed.

BRICS’ possible expansion is sometimes seen as a part of China and Russia’s broader effort to challenge Western-dominated international institutions such as the Group of 7 and the United Nations. However, BRICS officials emphasize that their focus lies in safeguarding the interests of the developing world instead of engaging in an anti-Western stance. The bloc has vocalized concerns over Western dominance in global governance and financial institutions, striving to provide a platform for developing nations to voice their perspectives. The New Development Bank, a BRICS initiative, aims to encourage trade in local currencies and reduce reliance on the dollar. Despite occasional criticism from Chinese and Russian officials towards the West, South Africa, as the current chair of BRICS, maintains that the bloc seeks to advance the agenda of the Global South, rather than take an antagonistic stance against the Western nations.

As the BRICS economic bloc assembles for its annual summit, the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin due to the ICC arrest warrant adds an intriguing twist. Nonetheless, the discussions and decisions made during this gathering hold significance for the future of the bloc. The potential expansion of BRICS and its implications on global dynamics, as well as the group’s relationship with the West, will shape the agendas of these emerging economies. It is crucial to recognize that the primary goal of BRICS is to advocate for the interests of the developing world rather than merely challenging Western institutions.