South Africa confirms that 23 countries want to join the BRICS grouping

Naledi Pandor, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, said that leaders of 23 countries have formally expressed their desire to join BRICS.

"We have received formal expressions of interest from the leaders of 23 countries to join BRICS and in further informal consultations on membership opportunities," said Pandor during a press conference broadcast on social media.

The minister revealed that a roster of countries, including Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, and Vietnam, have expressed their intention to join the group. This extensive list underscores the substantial appeal of BRICS, highlighting its role as a vanguard coalition advocating for the interests of nations in the Global South.

Emphasizing this point, the official affirmed that the notable level of interest reaffirms the status of BRICS as a pioneering alliance championing the aspirations of countries from diverse regions. With South Africa poised to host the BRICS Summit, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation conveyed unwavering confidence in its success during a briefing about the impending gathering.

One of the key focuses of the upcoming summit in Johannesburg, scheduled from 22 to 24 August, will be the potential expansion of the BRICS alliance, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This significant discussion underscores the evolving nature of the alliance. The current chairmanship of the BRICS group by South Africa highlights its prominence as a collective entity representing over 30 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP) and encompassing 40 percent of the world's population.

Venezuela, renowned for possessing the largest oil reserves globally, has recently submitted an application for membership in the alliance, reflecting the growing interest in joining this influential group. Similarly, Bolivia, recognized for holding the world's largest lithium reserves, has also expressed its intent to become a part of the BRICS bloc. These developments signal the allure and strategic importance of the BRICS collaboration on the global stage, as reported by teleSUR, a partner of TV BRICS.

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