Kremlin declares nine nations to become BRICS members in 2025

(MENAFN) Nine countries will officially become BRICS partner states starting January 1, 2025, as confirmed by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. These countries—Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Cuba, Uganda, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan—were granted the new 'partner country' status during the BRICS summit in October, which was hosted in Kazan, Russia. This status allows them to permanently participate in BRICS summits, foreign ministers' meetings, and other high-level events, as well as contribute to the group's outcome documents.

In addition to these nine, four more nations are expected to be confirmed soon as BRICS partners. The BRICS group, originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded earlier this year to include Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, and the UAE. Saudi Arabia has paused its application process for full membership, as it has not completed the required internal procedures.

Ushakov highlighted that over 30 nations applied for BRICS membership, with more than two dozen countries, including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, and Venezuela, expressing interest in cooperating with the organization. He noted that BRICS' influence in global politics, economics, and finance continues to grow, particularly in addressing climate challenges and enhancing global food and energy security.

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