S. Africa Grants BRICS-Meeting Immunity After Putin Invite

South Africa said it will provide diplomatic immunity to attendees of two meetings of officials from the BRICS group of countries — a practice the government said is routine — as it prepares to host Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in August.

The immunity covers a meeting of foreign ministers from the bloc, which groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, who will gather in Cape Town from June 1-2, according to a Government Gazette published on Monday. It also applies to a summit of the BRICS heads of state scheduled to take place Aug. 22-24, the Department of International Relations and Cooperations said in the official notice.