South Africa defends BRICS naval drills as ‘essential’ amid tensions

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by By News AgenciesJanuary 10, 2026 at 04:21 PM

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South Africa is defending its "Will for Peace 2026" naval drills with Russia, Iran, China, and other nations, which began off the coast of Cape Town on Saturday. The South African joint task force commander stated the exercises are essential for protecting maritime economic activities and responding to rising global maritime tensions. The drills occur amidst heightened tensions between the US and several BRICS Plus countries, and shortly after the US seized a Venezuela-linked Russian oil tanker. South Africa emphasizes the drills as a demonstration of collective resolve among BRICS nations to cooperate in a complex maritime environment. BRICS, originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Nicolas Maduro (Maduro) 40% Brazil 40% Donald Trump 50% Captain Nndwakhulu Thomas Thamaha ×250% Venezuela ×360% Will for Peace 2026 60% China ×370% Iran ×370% Russia ×270% United States ×370% BRICS ×380% South Africa ×690%

Keywords

naval drills 100% maritime tensions 80% brics 80% south africa 70% maritime economic activities 60% us sanctions 50% international relations 50% will for peace 2026 40%