BRICS leaders invite 6 countries as members

BRICS leaders agreed, on Thursday, to invite six countries – Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – to join the group.

The six countries’ membership will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced at a press conference during the 15th BRICS Summit.

“We value the interests of other countries in building the partnership of BRICS,” Ramaphosa said.

TheNewsZenith reports that BRICS is an acronym that refers to the developing countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Through the summit, BRICS has begun new chapter of bringing about a fair, inclusive and prosperous world, he added.

Calling it “a great moment for Ethiopia” as BRICS leaders endorsed the country’s entry into BRICS, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, said “Ethiopia stands ready to cooperate with all for an inclusive and prosperous global order”.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan said, on social mediaX (Twitter), his country “respects vision of BRICS leadership”.

Al-Nahyan added that “UAE appreciated its inclusion as a member to this important group”.

In a statement, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi pledged to work with other BRICS countries to “raise Global South’s voice.

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“This is with regard to various issues and development challenges we encounter in order to promote the developing countries’ rights and interests”.

BRICS leaders met in Johannesburg for three days from Aug. 22. They discussed issues that included deepening BRICS cooperation and the group’s expansion.

The theme of the meeting is “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism”.

This year’s summit also focused on promoting common interests of the Global South.

African experts said BRICS’s championing of developing countries’ interests has sparked interest of Global South countries in joining the group.

“With its economic, financial and technological capabilities, as well as a clear future vision, BRICS has the strength and ability to lead the world towards a wide development process.

“It is also capable of making the global economic system more just and equitable,” Abdel-Sattar Eshrah, Secretary-General of the Cairo-based Egyptian-Chinese Business Council said.

“Global South countries want to join BRICS because it advocates “win-win cooperation and mutual respect with other countries,” he said. (Xinhua)