Nearly 20 countries interested in establishing partnership with BRICS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the announcement while speaking to the press on October 2, within the framework of the 20th Annual Conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club taking place in Sochi (Russia).

Gần 20 quốc gia quan tâm đến việc thiết lập quan hệ đối tác với BRICS

BRICS faces an ever-expanding prospect. The BRICS Summit 2023 will be held in South Africa from August 22-24. (Source: GCIS)

Foreign Minister Lavrov stressed that the world is becoming multipolar and countries want to find reliable partners. The BRICS group of emerging economies is one of those reliable partners and can support each country joining this bloc. Currently, 6 countries have joined BRICS and there are still nearly 20 countries that want to establish special relations with this bloc.

Following the BRICS Summit held on August 22-24 in Johannesburg, South Africa, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the expansion of the bloc. Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will become members of BRICS from January 1, 2024.

Chinese President Xi Jinping assessed that the fact that the above 6 countries will become members of BRICS from January 1, 2024 is a historic increase in the number of members.

Mr. Xi Jinping said that the addition of six members marks a new beginning in the cooperation process, bringing new strength to the group's cooperation mechanism for world peace and development.

According to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, with the addition of new members, BRICS represents nearly half of the world's population and will account for an even larger share of global gross domestic product (GDP).

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his country has a "deep" relationship with the six new member countries, and that bilateral relations between India and each new member country will be expanded in new areas.

The Valdai International Discussion Club was founded in 2004 and has become an internationally recognized platform for cooperation between leading world experts and Russian scientists, politicians and government officials.

This year's annual conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club with the theme "Just Multipolarity: How to Ensure Security and Development for All" took place on October 2-5 in Sochi.

It is estimated that 140 experts, politicians and diplomats from more than 40 countries around the world will attend this event.

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