PRETORIA, July 19. /TASS/. The BRICS group of nations, currently comprising Brasil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, may be eventually expanded to include as many as 50 member countries, said Anil Sooklal, South Africa's BRICS Sherpa and Ambassador-at-Large for Asia and BRICS.

"With the expansion of BRICS, it could increase to include more than 50 countries," he was quoted as saying by the Independent Online (IOL) news portal.

According to Sooklal, many countries are seeking BRICS membership at this point, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Argentina.

"BRICS represents the world of the future and the global South has risen and become increasingly influential," he said. "BRICS must be seen as a catalyst to bring change to the world for the better."

According to the South African diplomat, the group is becoming more and more attractive because of its economic might and financial acumen and strength. In his words, the issue of de-dollarization in not on the agenda of the upcoming BRICS summit.

"We will expand on addressing the idea of deepening interaction in trading in local currencies. Countries want to have greater flexibility and to be less dependent on the dollar," he said.

On July 6, Sooklal chaired a meeting of BRICS sherpas, who drafted the concept and principles of the group’s further expansion. The draft was sent to foreign ministers from member countries. They are expected to examine it and submit their recommendations to the heads of BRICS member states, who will convene in South Africa’s Johannesburg in August.

South Africa chairs BRICS this year. Russia will assume the group’s rotating presidency in 2024.