Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan will officially become partner countries of BRICS starting January 1, 2025, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry. Invitations for partnership status have also been extended to four additional nations.
“From January 1, 2025, Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan will join BRICS as partner states, having confirmed their acceptance of this status. Invitations to join as partners have been sent to four more countries,” the ministry announced.
The Brazilian presidency of BRICS is expected to formally declare the new partner statuses once all confirmations are received. The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized its commitment to fostering close cooperation with these partner nations to integrate them effectively into the group's initiatives.
BRICS was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia became full members. The 16th BRICS Summit, held in Kazan from October 22-24, 2024, marked a significant milestone during Russia's presidency. The event featured not only the leaders of BRICS countries but also UN Secretary-General António Guterres and representatives from non-member states such as Turkey and Palestine.
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Based on materials from TASS