BRICS Leaders Approve Document Setting Expansion Guidelines

South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, Naledi Pandor, reported on Wednesday that BRICS leaders reached consensus on the bloc's enlargement by approving a document enshrining guidelines and principles in this regard.

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"We have reached an agreement on the issue of expansion. We have a document that we have approved that sets out guidelines and principles, processes for considering countries that want to become members of BRICS. <...> That is very positive," the senior diplomat told Radio Ubuntu radio station.

According to Pandor, the document will be presented this Thursday during the Brics Plus Dialogue, a complementary body that, together with the Brics Africa Outreach, includes countries from the Global South.

The foreign minister noted that it will be up to BRICS leaders to decide which candidate countries will eventually join the platform.

In 2017, the founding countries of the BRICS, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, determined a mechanism, known as Brics Plus, to include other countries with significant developing economies.

During the Brics Plus Dialogue next Thursday, the bloc's leaders will reflect on strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships for growth, development, peace and inclusive multilateralism in a multipolar world.

Since January, BRICS Sherpas have been working on the concept of enlargement and the principles of its implementation. So far, twenty-three countries have submitted formal membership applications: Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Vietnam.

According to insider information, between three and five countries could be admitted this year to BRICS. Some mention the UAE and Saudi Arabia among these countries.