EXERCISE MOSI - DEFENCE AND SECURITY
News: South
Africa unveils joint naval drills with Russia, China
What's in the news?
● South
Africa, which has resisted taking sides following Russia's invasion of Ukraine,
announced that it will stage 10-day joint maritime drills with Russia and China
next month.
Exercise Mosi:
● The
exercises dubbed "Mosi", which translates to "smoke" in the local Tswana
language, are scheduled for February 17 to 27, off the port city of Durban and Richards Bay.
● It
will be the second such exercise involving the three naval forces of Russia, South Africa and China.
● It
aims to strengthen the already flourishing relations between South Africa,
Russia and China, a multinational maritime exercise between these three
countries.
● More
than 350 South African army personnel will take part "alongside the
Russian and Chinese counterparts, with an aim of sharing operational skills and
knowledge".
Other Key takeaways:
● South Africa recently
assumed the chairmanship of the BRICS,
a grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia, India and China to challenge the
dominant US- and European-led global governance structures.
● A
continental powerhouse, South Africa has refused to condemn Russia's invasion
of Ukraine, a war which has triggered sweeping Western sanctions.