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Russian MFA lists nine countries set to become BRICS partners from January 1

It is reported that Brazil’s BRICS chairmanship will announce the countries’ acquisition of the partner status as soon as it receives their confirmation

MOSCOW, December 27. /TASS/. Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan will become BRICS partner states from January 1, 2025, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported, adding that four other countries have received invitations.

"From January 1, 2025, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan will become BRICS partner states. They have confirmed their readiness to acquire such status. Invitations to become partners have been sent to four other countries," the ministry said.

According to its statement, Brazil’s BRICS chairmanship will announce the countries’ acquisition of the partner status as soon as it receives their confirmation. "We plan to establish full coordination with the partner states in order to involve them as much as possible in the cooperation within the association," the ministry added.

The BRICS group was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining it in 2011. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, became its full-fledged members. The 16th BRICS summit, which has become a key event of Russia’s chairmanship in the association, took place in Kazan on October 22-24. In addition to the leaders of the BRICS member countries, the summit was attended by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the heads of a number of non-BRICS member states, such as Turkey and Palestine.

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