Arab League Congratulates Arab Countries for BRICS Membrecy

On Thursday, Arab League Secretary Ahmed Aboul-Gheit congratulated Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for being invited to join the BRICS.

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The BRICS group of emerging markets that currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa "is an important international bloc," Aboul-Gheit tweeted.

Arab countries' accession to the BRICS reflects growing Arab influence in the international decision-making, he wrote.

On Thursday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the BRICS group has agreed to admit Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran as full members of the bloc.

The six countries' membership will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, Ramaphosa said at a press conference during the three-day BRICS Summit that ended on Thursday.

Brazil, Russia, India, and China established the BRICS group in 2006, with South Africa joining in 2010, adding the letter 'S' to the acronym.

Currently this economic bloc represents over 42 percent of the world's population, 23 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 18 percent of the international trade.