Saudi Arabia, Iran and UAE among six countries invited to join BRICS
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks at BRICS summit at Johannesburg.
JOHANNESBURG: The BRICS group of nations has invited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia and Argentina to join the bloc, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday, according to foreign media reports.
The debate over expanding the membership of the bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has topped the agenda at a three-day summit in Johannesburg, which concludes on Thursday.
While all BRICS members have expressed support for expanding the bloc, leaders are divided over procedures for expansion and how quickly membership should be enlarged.
“Brics has embarked on a new chapter in its effort to build a world that is fair, a world that is just, a world that is also inclusive and prosperous,” Mr Ramaphosa said.
He said the new members would be formally admitted on January 1.
President Sheikh Mohamed has praised the move.
“We respect the vision of the BRICS leadership and appreciate the inclusion of the UAE as a member to this important group,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“We look forward to a continued commitment of co-operation for the prosperity, dignity and benefit of all nations and people around the world.”
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan said the kingdom was looking forward to closer co-operation with BRICs member states.
“The kingdom is keen to exercise its responsibilities to sustain international cooperation,” he said. Riyadh is “moving forward achieving the goals of sustainable development” and working to stabilise energy markets, he added.
An expanded BRICS, which was formed in 2009, will add more major oil producers to the bloc and boost its economic clout.
China and Russia have also pushed for its expansion in a bid to counter western powers.
The addition of its more members may also give it more sway in world affairs and may lead to a different type of global economy.
Mohammed Jamshidi, a political deputy to Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, said the decision was a “strategic success” and a historic development for Iranian foreign policy.
Mr Raisi is in South Africa for the summit but has yet to comment on the decision. South Africa is an ally of Iran and is its largest trading partner on the continent.
Mr Raisi has recently undertaken trips to other African nations to forge closer ties.
A report from Iran’s state-run Irna outlet voiced hopes the decision may benefit sanction-hit Tehran through access to the New Development Bank, which offers an alternative to the Swift payment system.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said the decision to admit the six nations had been unanimous.
“BRICS countries are all countries with important influence and shoulder important responsibilities for world peace and development,” he said.
“This membership expansion is historic. It shows the determination of BRICS countries for unity and co-operation with the broader developing countries.”
The expansion is a “new starting point” for BRICS co-operation and will bring new vigour to the bloc, the Chinese leader said.
“I am confident, as long as we work with a common purpose, there is a lot Brics co-operation can achieve and the future will be bright for BRICs countries.”
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said Cairo looked forward to “raising the voices” of countries in the Global South.
“I appreciate Egypt being invited to join BRICS and look forward to coordinating with the group to achieve its goals in supporting economic co-operation,” he said.
Ethiopia hailed the decision as a “great move” for the country, while Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said BRICS needed to increase co-operation amid the threat of nuclear conflict. “It is time to revitalise co-operation with developing countries as there is a risk of nuclear war,” he said after the announcement. – Web Desk / News Agencies
