President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the BRICS Business Forum at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The theme of the forum was “Making Accelerated Growth and Sustainable Development a Reality. Picture: Siyabulela Duda / GCIS
Johannesburg – President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the interest shown by more than 40 countries that want to join the world’s newest economic and political bloc, BRICS, made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Ramaphosa said the BRICS heads of state, which included Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian leader Lula Da Salva, and Russian leaders, would consider the request made by more than 40 countries that want to join BRICS during the BRICS Leaders Retreat at Summer Place.
Ramaphosa was speaking during his opening address, which kicked off the 15th BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre on Tuesday afternoon.
The bloc of emerging economies is expected to discuss ways to improve the ease of doing business among and with one another.
Ramaphosa said this year's summit was expected to be the most significant in the group's history and could impact Africa's relationship with other countries and its position globally.
“The interest shown by these countries in joining BRICS shows that the BRICS family is growing in stature and influence in the world. We will be taking this into account as we retreat. We will consider these requests and formulate a way forward with other leaders of the BRICS during our talks. Your participation in BRICS will strengthen it," Ramaphosa said during his address.
Ahead of the summit, it was reported that over 40 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Algeria, Bolivia, Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Comoros, Gabon, and Kazakhstan, have expressed interest in joining the forum.
Some of the countries have received support within the bloc following dissatisfaction with the global order among developing nations, which was made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic when life-saving vaccines were hoarded by the rich countries.
Iran, home to around a quarter of the Middle East's oil reserves, recently indicated that it hoped to become a member as soon as possible, while oil-rich Saudi Arabia was among more than a dozen countries that participated in “Friends of BRICS” talks in Cape Town in June, having received backing from Russia and Brazil to join the bloc.
Argentina said in July 2022 that it had received China's formal support in its bid to join the group.
The Star