In conjunction with the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, South Africa revealed plans to undertake combined naval drills with navies from BRICS partners Russia and China off its coast this month, from February 17 through February 27. The exercises are anticipated to increase attention on the development of ties between Asian nations and South Africa, the most influential nation on the African continent and one of several that abstained in a United Nations resolution last year condemning Russia’s invasion. During the last two weeks of February, a multinational naval exercise called “Operation Mosi,” which means “smoke” in Tswana, one of South Africa’s 11 official languages, will take place off the country’s east coast close to the towns of Durban and Richards Bay.
Invoking its neutral stance on Ukraine and advocating for discussion and diplomacy, the South African government had declined to denounce Russia’s actions in Ukraine last year. The main opposition party, however, has accused the administration of aligning with Russia in light of the impending naval exercises. “This suggests that it is skewed toward one viewpoint rather than neutral. It may cause us to lose favor with the West and other significant trading partners, according to Kobus Marais, the Democratic Alliance’s shadow defense minister. Marais said, calling it “another stupid judgment, an embarrassment,” that it was “in the best interests of Russia.”
Notably, the announcement of the exercises came before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s trip to South Africa to meet with his counterpart Naledi Pandor, who vehemently defended her nation’s choice to participate in the drills alongside Russia and China. “All nations conduct military drills with their allies around the world, thus there should be no requirement for any nation to only conduct them with one partner. In a joint press conference with her visiting Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Pandor stated that it is a normal component of partnerships between nations. She said African nations need to resist being held to a double standard by other countries which have the mindset – “what I do is ok for me, but you can’t do it because you are a developing country, or you are Africa.” She added “that is an abuse of international practice.”
The South African National Defense Forces (SANDF) announced in a statement that “a multinational maritime exercise between these three countries will take place in Durban and Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal province from 17-27 February,” as a way to “strengthen the already flourishing relations between South Africa, Russia, and China.” Additionally, the training will take place at Richards Bay during South Africa’s Armed Forces Day celebrations. South Africa, a member of the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has adopted a neutral posture on the conflict in Ukraine, garnering condemnation from certain Western nations. It has also abstained from voting on the issue at the UN. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, shortly after the 2019 Russia-Africa summit in Sochi, said that investments from Russia and China in the African continent are a change from the extractive and exploitative colonial powers of the West.
President Ramaphosa stated during the BRICS block’s 14th summit last year that in 2021, 17% of South Africa’s exports and over 29% of all imports came from BRICS nations. As a result, these nations are important trading partners, and the volume of their commerce is increasing. Trade between South Africa and the other BRICS nations increased to R702 billion in 2021 from R487 billion in 2017, he said. Currently, 2.88 billion people live in BRICS member nations, which together account for around 26% of the world’s land area and 42% of its population. The block will think about including additional members who have filed for membership and showed interest in joining this year while South Africa serves as chairperson.