Ammon – The BRICS alliance of five emerging economies will meet in South Africa starting today, Tuesday, for a summit that is expected to focus on the group’s expansion.
The alliance currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and aims to become a “BRICS plus” and to absorb many new members.
Member States still have to agree on admission criteria. It also remains unclear when additional countries will be included. The meeting will continue until Thursday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to attend the summit in person.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, while Putin himself is scheduled to participate via video link.
The aim of expanding the group is to “seek alternatives” to the current global balance of power, according to South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor.
The BRICS countries say that together they represent 42% of the world’s population, 30% of the global land area and 24% of the world’s economic output.
More than 30 other countries have confirmed their participation in the three-day meeting. In addition, 67 high-ranking politicians from Africa and the Global South were invited, as well as 20 representatives from the United Nations, the African Union and regional economic communities in Africa and elsewhere.
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