Three additional nations are expected to join BRICS

(MENAFN) Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt intend to join BRICS, and their possible membership bids might be debated and answered during next year's summit in South Africa, according to the organization's president, Purnima Anand, who spoke to Russian media on Thursday.

“All these countries have shown their interest in joining [BRICS] and are preparing to apply for membership. I believe this is a good step, because expansion is always looked upon favorably; it will definitely bolster BRICS’ global influence,” she informed Russian newspaper Izvestia.

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) account for more than 40% of global population and roughly a quarter of global GDP. The declared goals of the bloc include fostering global peace, security, development, and collaboration, as well as contributing to humanity's growth.

Anand stated that the question of growth was discussed during this year's BRICS summit, which was held in late June in Beijing.

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