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Will for peace or war?
The Citizen
|January 13, 2026
SECURITY: CONCERNS EXPRESSED OVER BRICS PLUS MARITIME EXERCISE
The Will for Peace 2026 maritime exercise, officially launched on Saturday with an opening parade at Simon’s Town naval base, signalled a significant expansion of maritime security cooperation within the Brics Plus framework.
The exercise, which brings together navies from South Africa, China, Russia, Iran and other Brics Plus members, has also sparked debate.
Critics warn that hosting Chinese, Russian and Iranian warships could compromise South Africa’s nonaligned foreign-policy stance and strain relations with Western partners, particularly the US.
Supporters, however, say the exercise is focused solely on maritime safety, joint operations and interoperability.
Led by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy and hosted by the SA Navy, which has provided the training area, Will for Peace 2026 brings together a diverse coalition of nations to address evolving maritime threats.
This story is from the January 13, 2026 edition of The Citizen.
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