Cape Town, South Africa – Naval forces from Russia, China, and Iran have commenced joint military exercises off the coast of Cape Town. The drills, dubbed “Will for Peace,” are being hosted by South Africa and involve vessels from the BRICS Plus nations. These exercises are taking place amid rising geopolitical tensions.
A Russian warship has joined Chinese and Iranian naval assets in South African waters as part of the week-long maneuvers, scheduled to continue until January 16th. The stated aim of the exercises is to enhance maritime security, combat piracy, and foster greater cooperation among the participating nations.
The BRICS group, initially comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia, now known as BRICS Plus.
According to the South African military, the exercises will focus on joint measures to ensure the safety and security of maritime transportation routes. Training will encompass maritime safety procedures and anti-piracy operations. Siviwe Dlamini, spokesperson for the South African Department of Defence, stated that the drills are unrelated to developments in Venezuela and have been in the planning stages since last year. The exercises were postponed from their original date due to the G20 summit held in Johannesburg.
Dlamini further clarified that the postponement was intended to reassure the United States, which did not attend the first G20 summit held on African soil. While these three nations conducted their first joint naval exercises in 2019, this iteration occurs during a period of heightened tension between the United States and South Africa. These drills are likely to draw renewed criticism from Washington towards Pretoria, given existing concerns over South Africa’s close ties with Russia. The US has previously criticized BRICS nations for policies perceived as adversarial to American interests.
