Prime Minister Narendra Modi being photographed with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during the 2023 BRICS Leaders’ Retreat (Photo: PTI)
Leaders of the BRICS countries on Thursday decided to admit Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as new members of the grouping. The decision was announced by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at a joint media briefing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Ramaphosa announced that the new members would become part of BRICS from January 1, 2024.
The decision on new members was agreed upon after firming up the guiding principles, norms and procedures for the expansion process, he said.
“We have a consensus on the first stage of the BRICS expansion process,” Ramaphosa said at the end of the grouping’s summit in Johannesburg. “We have decided to invite Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to become full members of BRICS,” he said.
Ramaphosa said, “We value the interests of other countries in building a partnership with BRICS and we have tasked our foreign ministers to develop a BRICS partnership model and a list of potential countries (who want to join the grouping). ”
PM Modi said the decision to expand BRICS will further strengthen the confidence of many countries in the multipolar world and India has “very deep and historical” relations with these countries.
“I am confident that we will be able to give new dynamism to BRICS by working with the new member countries of the grouping,” he said.
Ramaphosa also said that the leaders have tasked their foreign ministers to further develop the BRICS partnership model and draw up a list of potential countries.
(with agency inputs)
first published: 24 August 2023 | 2:31 pm First