JABAR EKSPRES – Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said about 20 countries want to join BRICS, a bloc of developing countries comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The increasing number of countries seeking cooperation with BRICS, Ryabkov said, shows the importance of the bloc in the global arena.
“Discussions continue on what are the criteria for joining BRICS, and South Africa has intensified this work,” he told TASS news agency on Thursday (15/6).
In-depth conversations on the matter took place at a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in Cape Town, South Africa, in early June, and additional discussions are expected to be held before the summit in August.
Read Also: China Acknowledges Challenges in Russia and Ukraine Negotiations
Ryabkov said South Africa’s accession to the bloc was a successful experience, given that the decision was made with the agreement of other members.
“I think strong candidates can refer to this experience, predict for themselves what is possible and impossible,” he said.
Ryabkov urged other BRICS members to be open when deciding to accept new members.
According to him, Russia likes the idea of taking Arab and Asia-Pacific countries as they are underrepresented in BRICS.
