Membership in the BRICS group of emerging-market nations is poised to double, as five countries- Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, and Egypt are set to join its ranks on Jan. 1, according to South Africa’s envoy to the bloc.
In August, the current members—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—extended invitations to six other nations to join their group, creating a coalition of major energy producers and significant consumers in developing countries.
Argentina was the sole nation to decline the invitation following President Javier Milei’s reversal of his predecessor’s membership bid upon taking office this month.
Representatives from the five invitees actively participated in a BRICS sherpa meeting in Durban, South Africa, earlier this month, signaling their acceptance of the invitation to join, as stated by Anil Sooklal, Pretoria’s ambassador to the bloc, in an interview on Friday.
The new members are expected to send officials to a sherpa meeting in Moscow on Jan. 30.
