Belarus expects approval as BRICS prepares for major expansion at October summit

Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov announced that the BRICS economic bloc is set to expand with the addition of around 10 new members during its upcoming summit in Kazan, Russia, in October.

Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Ryzhenkov expressed optimism that Belarus’s application for membership would be approved.

BRICS to expand membership

BRICS, originally formed in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, added South Africa in 2011 to become a global economic force.

Despite expanding further in December 2023 with the inclusion of six new members, the bloc has retained its original name.

This upcoming summit in Russia is expected to see the inclusion of nearly 10 more nations, marking one of the largest expansions in the bloc’s history.

Belarus eyes BRICS membership

Ryzhenkov emphasized that Moscow, which holds the BRICS chairmanship for 2024, is finalizing the list of new members, and Belarus is hopeful that its application will be successful.

BRICS has become a significant platform for economic cooperation among emerging markets, representing a substantial portion of the world’s population and gross domestic product (GDP).