The BRICS countries now account for about 30 percent of the global GDP, nearly half the global population, and one-fifth of global trade after the group’s expansion from five members to 10 in January.
The enlargement of BRICS is “a major milestone” in its history and “a landmark event” in the evolution of the international situation, said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.
Xi said the ongoing summit has decided to invite a number of nations to become BRICS partner countries, hailing the decision as “another important development” of the group.
“We must work together to build BRICS into a primary channel for strengthening solidarity and cooperation among Global South nations and a vanguard for advancing global governance reform,” he said. The Kazan summit is the first face-to-face gathering of the group’s leaders after Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became BRICS members on January 1, 2024, joining Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
