Joint naval exercises between China, Russia and South Africa in February 2023

Under the exercise name MOSI, two units of the navy of the Russian Federation and three ships of China's naval forces are to meet a unit of the South African navy off the east coast of South Africa. This was reported unanimously by the Russian news agency TASS and the South African online news portal Defence Web about joint activities between the naval forces of the three countries.

The exercise is scheduled to kick off on 17 February in Richards Bay (KwaZulu Natal). Until 24 February, a series of the usual naval activities associated with such port calls are planned in addition to the provisioning of the visiting ships and the conferences in preparation for the exercise. This will be followed by a two-day sea phase from 25 February. The exercise catalogue will include search and rescue, formation sailing and shooting exercises.

MOSI II - second service between China, Russia and South Africa

This is South Africa's second joint naval exercise with the naval forces of China (PLAN, People's Liberation Army Navy) and the Russian Federation. The first exercise of the three navies took place under the same name in November 2019. MOSI I was held in the sea area around the Cape of Good Hope.

The participants in MOSI II have not yet been announced. According to a statement from the press office of the South African armed forces to Defence Web, the number of ships could still change. Whether the voyage of the "Admiral Gorshkov" announced by the Russian naval leadership will take it to the east coast of Africa is currently a matter of speculation.

2019: MOSI I

Observers at MOSI I had raised questions about the meaningfulness of the meeting. The South African journalist Helmoed Heitman described MOSI I as a 'superficial passex'. This refers to exercises between naval forces at a subliminal level, which primarily serve to establish contact and maintain communication. At the time, the South African Navy was able to deploy the frigate "Amatola" and the now fifty-year-old "Protea", a survey vessel. The supply ship "Drakensberg" was also involved, at least temporarily. Russia deployed the Slava-class guided missile cruiser "Marshall Ustinov", which was accompanied by a tug (SB-406) and the tanker "Vyazma". China was represented by the type 054A frigate "Weifang" (hull number 550).

Attempt at categorisation

On the one hand, the MOSI exercise can be seen as a measure within the BRICS group of states. This is the association of the five nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which was formed for economic reasons. For Russia and China, flying the military flag is likely to be linked to political and economic interests. Both China and Russia have expanded their presence in the Indian Ocean.

China

Africa is important for Beijing to cover its resources, which are vital for industrial and economic progress. The military also plays a role in this. The pattern of action is well known: Entering into semi-military alliances, constructing or utilising port facilities for civil-military purposes, stationing troop contingents, participating in missions for peace-building military measures or as part of disaster prevention ('military operations other than war') and supplying weapons to the region. China opened its first African base in Djibouti in 2017. At the end of 2022, its attempts to do so in Equatorial Guinea and Mauritius became known.

Russia

Moscow is looking for additional partners and bases in Africa - for its mercenary groups as well as for the armed forces. It has been able to expand its presence in unstable regions and conflict areas in Africa, including Mali, Libya and the Central African Republic. Its commitment to a base in Bur Sudan on the Red Sea seems unbroken.

Moscow-Beijing axis

MOSI is part of the observation of a growing entente between Moscow and Beijing. Their collective behaviour goes beyond the joint zone of influence in the Western Pacific. In recent years, naval forces of the Russian Federation and the People's Liberation Army have appeared together in the Indian Ocean. In December 2019, immediately after MOSI I, there was a trilateral naval exercise with Iranian naval forces.

Most recently, in December 2022, units of the Chinese and Russian naval forces practised in the East China Sea.

South Africa's nebulous future

In military matters, South Africa is perceived as more of a junior partner for both China and Russia. On the other hand, the benefits for the South African navy are questionable. The extent to which such training sets promote interoperability, raise training standards and have a positive impact on the further development of operational principles and procedures remains to be seen. The naval forces of the country at the Cape are in need of training partners. It is true that the South African navy regularly trains with the friendly navies of Brazil and India as part of the IBSAMAR exercise. However, it was not only coronavirus, but also a lack of personnel and equipment that led to a virtual standstill of the South African fleet over the years. In his handover speech on 6 December 2022, the outgoing Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mosiwa Hlongwane, referred to the declining allocation of funds in recent years. Not only the navy was in danger of "losing more of its essential capabilities in addition to those already lost". And referring to the navy, he said "If the status is to remain unchanged, the South African navy will be port-bound in a few years' time".

The South African government continues to stand by Moscow. In the UN General Assembly vote on Resolution A/RES/ES-11/1 "Aggression against Ukraine" on 2 March 2022, South Africa abstained (35 abstentions). In this respect, critics see the South African government's participation in exercises such as MOSI as support for Russia in its illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Pretoria, for its part, is oscillating between its orientation towards Europe and its ties to socialist-communist systems that grew during the anti-apartheid struggle. These ties arose from the ideological, financial and military support given to ANC cadres in Moscow, Beijing, Hanoi and Havana. Outwardly open to Washington, mistrust prevails within government circles. South Africa has repeatedly criticised the United States for its colonialist behaviour towards African countries and for trying to impose its political agenda on the whole world. In addition to the sympathies of political actors in Pretoria for Russia and China, the role of both as spoilsports vis-à-vis the USA could be another explanation for Pretoria's attitude.

(Mosi, meaning smoke, vapour or mist; mosi-oa-tunya - thundering smoke - is the local name for the Victoria Falls)

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