30 Countries Have Requested to Join the BRICS Group

Around 30 countries have requested to join the BRICS group, according to Brazil's Foreign Minister. Brazil is set to lead the BRICS bloc in 2025.

On Wednesday, Brazil's Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira, announced that approximately 30 countries have formally expressed their desire to join the BRICS group of emerging economies, originally founded by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

“Perhaps 30 countries have already submitted written requests indicating their wish to join BRICS at an appropriate time,” said Vieira during a government-hosted interview.

He highlighted the group’s expansion to include significant new members, such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, who joined the original five members.

The foreign minister noted that BRICS will outline the framework for its expansion during its upcoming summit, scheduled for 22-24 October in Kazan, Russia. This will be the first summit attended by the five newest members of the group.

Countries that have expressed interest in joining include Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Honduras, Venezuela, Cuba, and Turkey, along with several Southeast Asian nations. Vieira mentioned that discussions will focus on how future expansion might occur, suggesting that new entrants could first become “associate countries” before gaining full membership in the bloc, currently chaired by Russia, with Brazil set to lead next year.