PM Hasina’s sideline meetings yet to be confirmed: Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the BRICS Summit, scheduled to take place on August 22-24 in South Africa, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seheli Sabrin told reporters at the weekly media briefing, “we are not confirmed yet about the meetings on the sidelines. We will let you know once those are confirmed,” She made the remarks in a query of a reporter while wanted to know whether the prime minister will hold a meeting with the Chinese President on the sidelines of the summit.

Usually, the PM holds meetings with her counterparts from various countries on the sidelines of any summit or conference.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed his country's readiness to host the historic XV Summit of BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Notably mentioned that it will be the first BRICS Summit to be hosted in person since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent global restrictions.

President Ramaphosa has in recent months and weeks held a number of consultations on the hosting of the summit. The summit will be attended by the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa.

Meanwhile by mutual agreement, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will not attend the Summit, but on behalf of him the Russian Federation Foreign Minister will attend, ensured the host country. 

In due course, a comprehensive statement on the substantive issues to be covered at the summit and other related foreign policy matters will be issued.

President Ramaphosa is confident that the Summit will be a success and calls on the nation to extend the necessary hospitality to the many delegates who will arrive from various parts of the continent and the globe.

Earlier, Bangladesh received the formal invitation from the host. The summit will be hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre (SCC) in Johannesburg, Gauteng.

BRICS leaders will engage with businesses during the BRICS Business Forum and engage with the New Development Bank, BRICS Business Council and other mechanisms during the Summit.

South Africa will also continue its outreach to leaders from Africa and the global South and hold a BRICS Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue during the 15th Summit.