Ethiopia, Egypt, and three others to join BRICS on January 1, 2024

The BRICS group is on track to double its membership as Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt join the bloc on January 1, 2024, according to South Africa’s envoy to the bloc.

In August, the BRICS group, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, extended invitations to six more nations. However, Argentina declined the invitation, as President Javier Milei, who assumed office this month, reversed his predecessor’s membership bid.

The five invitees sent senior-level representatives to a BRICS sherpa meeting in Durban, South Africa, earlier this month and they fully participated in the gathering, “a clear indication that they have accepted the invitation” to join, Anil Sooklal, Pretoria’s ambassador to the bloc stated, Bloomberg reported.

The new members will also send officials to a sherpa meeting in Moscow on Jan. 30, he said.

source: Business Insider