23 Countries Vie for Access to the BRICS Economic Bloc

23 Countries Vie for Access to the BRICS Economic Bloc

23 countries have submitted applications to join the BRICS economic bloc. South Africa, the hosting nation, has published a list of countries that vie for access to the bloc during the upcoming summit in Johannesburg. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, has also invited 67 leaders and 20 organizations from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Caribbean to the BRICS summit. 

BRICS Summit Set to Roll with New Membership Applications 

Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa, announced during a press conference on the upcoming BRICS summit on Monday that a total of 23 countries have submitted applications to join the economic bloc. 

The BRICS summit is scheduled to take place from August 22-24 in Johannesburg. South Africa is the host nation this year. President Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa, President Luiz Lula da Silva, Brazil, President Xi Jinping, China, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India are likely to attend the summit. President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to attend in person. 

The 23 countries that have applied for BRICS membership are Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Venezuela, Vietnam, Cuba, Honduras, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, the State of Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia, according to the summit officials of the host nation.

The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa, has also revealed that the leaders of the BRICS bloc will deliberate on the principles of expansion based on a 'special report' to be presented on the occasion with a list of countries looking forward to joining the group. 

"BRICS leaders will discuss the expansion of the organization at the summit,” the Minister said. She added:

"It is the leaders who will make the final decision on this issue."

“We remember that South Africa was the first country to be admitted to the association upon its creation. As the BRICS chairman, South Africa will negotiate at the summit on the expansion model and its principles and criteria. We are gradually moving towards a consensus on BRICS expansion, and we hope that it will be reached at the summit,” the Minister explained.

67 Leaders and 20 Representatives Invited to Attend the Summit

The Foreign Minister of South Africa also revealed on Monday that the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has extended invitations to 67 leaders and 20 major organizations from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Caribbean to the summit with the consent and support of fellow BRICS leaders. 

20 representatives of major international organizations have been invited to the BRICS summit, including the secretary-general of the United Nations, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, and the president of the New Development Bank, also known as the BRICS Bank. 

Invitations to the summit have also been extended to the chairs and executive heads of African Regional Economic Communities and African financial institutions, the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, and the CEO of the African Union Development Agency.

The Minister confirmed the participation of  34 countries in the upcoming summit. However, she mentioned that French President Emmanuel Macron has not been invited to the summit. It may be recalled that Macron had earlier expressed an interest in attending the BRICS summit.

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