RIO DE JANEIRO, November 19. /TASS/. The BRICS countries are gaining in influence in the G20, which became especially evident at the summit in Rio de Janeiro, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following his participation in the event.

The Russian top diplomat recalled that the BRICS countries account for a total of 37% of the global economy, while the total weight of the G7 countries has fallen below 30%, and the gap continues to grow. Lavrov noted that, according to the assessments made at the G20 summit, BRICS is "ripe" for the formation of a set of instruments in trade and finance that are independent from the West.

"The BRICS countries as a whole are gaining in their role and influence in the G20. This was evident both in Delhi at last year's summit and at the year before in Indonesia. And here [in Rio de Janeiro] it was especially clear," Lavrov said.

In addition, the strengthening of the association's position in the G20 was facilitated by the accession of the African Union to the group as a full member, as well as the invitation to the summit of the leadership of the League of Arab States and the head of the New Development Bank, created at the initiative of the BRICS countries, the minister noted.