G20 Summit Forces S. Africa to Cancel Naval Drills with China and Russia

 

Last week, South Africa announced postponing a key naval exercise with China and Russia slated for November. This has been interpreted as a move to avoid the exercise coinciding with the G20 summit, scheduled in South Africa in the same month. U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to attend the summit. In the past few months, South Africa has been in the crosshairs of U.S. President Trump, stemming from policy differences. Last month, South African exports to the U.S. were slapped with a 30% tariff rate.

South Africa's Department of Defense explained that the decision to postpone the exercise was in view of the activities related to South Africa’s G20 Presidency. “The postponement is to ensure that the exercises do not impact on the logistical, security and other arrangements associated with South Africa’s G20 Presidency,” said Siphiwe Dlamini, DoD Head of Communication. South Africa took over G20 leadership in December last year and will be handing over to U.S. in November.

According to some defense analysts, it would have been baffling for South Africa to host a trilateral naval exercise with China and Russia alongside the G20 summit. The exercise (EX MOSI) is in third iteration and takes place every two years between the BRICS partners. South Africa said new dates for the postponed exercise will be announced, without mentioning specific timelines.

This year, the exercise was planned off South African waters in the Western Cape. While BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) alliance has focused on economic cooperation, the scope appears to be expanding to include defense. Last week, a briefing meeting for a proposed BRICS combined maritime exercise was held in Cape Town, South Africa.

The meeting brought together military leaders from BRICS partner countries, including Iran. Speaking to the press after the meeting, Captain Hassan Maghsoodloo, Commander of the First Naval District of Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, confirmed his combat naval units are likely to participate in the drill.

South Africa maintains that military exercises are an opportunity to strengthen its multilateral and bilateral relations. In the past few years, South Africa has participated in joint military exercises with countries such as Brazil, Germany, China and France. However, South Africa and the U.S. last month agreed to cancel the Shared Accord military exercise, which was planned in Free State province. “Unfortunately, South Africa’s Ministry of Defense and Veterans presented requirements deemed inconsistent with the agreements between our governments that U.S. DoD could not support,” said a diplomatic note from the U.S. Embassy in South Africa.