French President Emmanuel Macron wants to join the leaders of the BRICS nations when they meet in August, according to a press report. While his participation in the multipolar bloc’s summit is uncertain, Macron has already scheduled another summit in Paris to discuss the establishment of a “fairer” financial system.
Macron Reportedly Asks Ramaphosa for Opportunity to Visit South Africa During BRICS Summit
The heads of state of the BRICS club of emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) plan to meet late this summer in Johannesburg and Emmanuel Macron is exploring the possibility of attending the summit, the French newspaper L’Opinion reported, quoting sources.
The daily remarks that a meeting of the President of France with the leaders of an organization that seeks to challenge the United States’ global leadership, would be unprecedented but claims that “the Élysée is working on it.”
According to the publication, the French head of state has asked his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, who will host the BRICS summit on Aug. 22 – 24, for an opportunity to come. One of the sources commented:
That would be a big hit.
Macron is said to have made the request during a phone call with Ramaphosa on June 3 but got no answer if the African country was ready to admit him to the top level meeting of the BRICS member states.
The French report was quoted by media outlets in Russia where it prompted comments from government officials. “It is up to the host country to invite guests,” presidential aide Yury Ushakov told Tass. Kremlin’s Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said he had no information about Macron’s reported intention. And the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova urged Paris to explain.
At the same time, South Africa is still considering different options regarding the invitation for Russian President Vladimir Putin because of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the Russian leader for his alleged responsibility for war crimes in the Ukraine conflict.
Macron to Host Summit Devoted to Global Financial Overhaul
Whether Emmanuel Macron will be invited to the BRICS summit remains unclear but in the meantime the French president is himself preparing to host a summit in Paris, expected to bring together around 40 heads of state and government as well as leaders of major international organizations and representatives of global financial institutions on June 22 – 23.
France’s foreign ministry announced that the ‘Summit for a New Global Financing Pact’ organized by the Élysée Palace will lay the groundwork for a new, “fairer and more solidarity-based” financial system and “set a course toward a new, more balanced financial partnership between the Global South and North.”
According to L’Opinion, Macron suggests an overhaul that would take into account the emergence of the powers of the South in order to avoid fragmentation with Western nations. The pact should ostensibly allow more countries to access the financing they need to invest in sustainable development and combat over-indebtedness.
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