Brics is expanding - here are the six countries joining the bloc

24 August 2023 - 10:32

Amanda Khoza Presidency reporter

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, China's President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pose for a picture at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2023.
Image: ALET PRETORIUS

On January 1 2024, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will be full members of the Brics bloc.

This announcement was made on Thursday by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is the chair of the 15th Brics summit under way in Johannesburg.

Ramaphosa said: “As the five Brics countries we have reached agreement on the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures of the Brics expansion process, which has been in discussion for quite as while.

“We have consensus on the first phase of this expansion and other phases will follow. We have decided to invite Argentina,, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to be full members of Brics.”

He said Brics is a diverse group of nations, an equal partnership of countries that have differing views but a shared vision for a better world.

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