South Africa reported that 23 countries applied to join BRICS

At a briefing on the upcoming BRICS Summit, South African Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Naledi Pandor said that 23 countries had applied to join the union, TASS reports

photo: www. globaltimes.cn

The list of countries wishing to join BRICS includes Algeria, Indonesia, Belarus, Vietnam, Morocco, Argentina, Thailand, Bangladesh, Palestine, Cuba, Senegal, Ethiopia, Honduras, Iran, Kuwait, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, the UAE, Bolivia, Egypt, and Nigeria.

Naledi Pandor said, “The BRICS leaders will discuss the expansion of the organisation at the summit. We remember that South Africa was the first country to be admitted to the union after its creation. As the BRICS chair, South Africa will hold talks at the Summit on the expansion model, its principles and criteria. We are gradually moving towards a consensus on the expansion of the BRICS, and we hope that it will be reached at the Summit.”

The BRICS Summit will be held on August 22nd-24th in Johannesburg under the chairmanship of South Africa.