MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. BRICS member states would gain from the establishment of an informal human rights organization within the association, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and BRICS Sherpa Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with TASS.

"BRICS is widely recognized and popular, as evidenced by the fact that many have started using this label or 'trademark' for their own initiatives," Ryabkov said, summarizing the outcomes of Russia's presidency in the association. "I am not sure that this adds momentum — but if it does, it may be useful to create an informal network that would bring together all those who regularly engage in such activities on a professional basis. This is another area where we need an objective perspective, free from the distortions of Western ideology," Ryabkov noted.

The BRICS group was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates became the organizaton's full members. The 16th BRICS summit, held in Kazan on October 22-24 this year, was the highlight of Russia’s presidency in the association. The summit was attended by the leaders of the BRICS member states, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and heads of several non-BRICS countries, such as Turkey and Palestine.