MOSCOW, August 25. /TASS/. It is too early to name any potential candidate countries for the next wave of BRICS expansion, as a pause is now needed for the bloc’s six newest members to adapt, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

"I wouldn’t take it upon myself to name any potential next-wave candidates," he said at a press conference devoted to the results of the BRICS Summit in South Africa. "To begin with, the current first 'installment' consists of six countries, which is more than the 'founding five.' We need to see how this 'football team,' to borrow the expression of [Russian Foreign Minister] Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov, will perform directly on the field of play, how coordinated it is." "Time is needed for adaptation and exchanging best practices," the senior Russian diplomat added. "This is normal. The main thing is that there is a political will, a firm intention to move ahead," he concluded.

This year, the BRICS summit, hosted by one-year chairman South Africa, took place in Johannesburg on August 22-24, marking the largest gathering of Global South heads of state and government in recent years. Its guests included the leaders of 54 African countries. The current BRICS members approved the membership bids of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt and Argentina, which will become full-fledged members of the bloc on January 1, 2024. An updated list of candidate countries for BRICS membership will be prepared for consideration at the group’s next annual summit, which will take place under Russia’s one-year chairmanship.