Russia announces postponement of Brics and SCO Summits in wake of Covid-19

The two summits were to be held in St Petersburg during July 21-23. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to attend both meetings.

Russia announced on Wednesday that summit meetings of the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (Brics) grouping and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which it was to host in July, has been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The two summits were to be held in St Petersburg during July 21-23.(PTI Photo)

The two summits were to be held in St Petersburg during July 21-23. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to attend both meetings.

“In view of the coronavirus pandemic and the related restrictions, the Organising Committee to Prepare and Support Russia’s SCO Presidency in 2019-2020 and BRICS Chairmanship in 2020 decided to postpone the BRICS leaders’ meeting and the meetings of the SCO Heads of State Council, initially scheduled to take place on July 21-23, 2020, in St Petersburg,” said an official statement from the Kremlin.

“The new dates for these summits will be determined on the basis of the epidemiological situation in the states participating in these associations, and around the world,” the statement added.