Earlier, it was reported that BRICS may eventually expand to include up to 50 member countries.
BRAZIL, August 2. /TASS/. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed support for the inclusion of Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).
"I consider it extremely important for Saudi Arabia, the [United] Arab Emirates, and if they wish, Argentina, to join BRICS," he said during a meeting with representatives of foreign media.
In July, Anil Sooklal, South Africa's BRICS Sherpa and Ambassador-at-Large for Asia and BRICS, mentioned that BRICS might eventually expand its membership to include as many as 50 countries.
Sooklal chaired a meeting of BRICS sherpas who worked on the concept and principles of the group's potential expansion. The draft was sent to foreign ministers from member countries for examination, and they are expected to provide their recommendations to the heads of BRICS member states. A BRICS summit is scheduled to take place at the Sandton Conference Center in Johannesburg from August 22-24.
South Africa currently holds the chairmanship of BRICS, and Russia is set to assume the group's rotating presidency in 2024.
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