The BRICS group of nations has invited Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to become new members of the bloc, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday.
The debate over expanding the BRICS bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has topped the BRICS’ agenda at its three-day summit, which opened on Tuesday, in Johannesburg.
BRICS expansion has been a major focus area at the summit and over 20 countries have already applied for full membership.
But speaking with journalists on Thursday, Ramaphosa said, “We have consensus on the first phase of this BRICS expansion process. We have decided to invite the Argentine Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, to become full members. The membership will take effect from the first of January, 2024.”
Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who is in Johannesburg to attend the BRICS Summit, welcomed all six nations and vowed to work with the other nations to continue adding nations that express interest in joining.
“I take this opportunity to welcome these six nations to BRICS…and I congratulate the leaders and people of these nations. India has close ties, historic ties, with each of these countries and I believe we will work together for a new era of cooperation and prosperity.
“India fully supports the expansion of the BRICS membership and welcomes moving forward with consensus in this,” said PM Modi.
Expansion calls were also backed by China President Xi Jinping, who said, “We need to accelerate the BRICS expansion process to pool our strengths (and) our wisdom to make global governance more just and equitable.”
Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, said the decision by the BRICS group of nations to invite Ethiopia to join was “a great moment” and that his country wanted to cooperate for “an inclusive and prosperous global order.”
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