MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. South Africa has invited more than 60 countries for discussions on the sidelines of the upcoming BRICS summit in Johannesburg, a South African diplomat told TASS.

"More than 60 countries have been invited for discussions at the summit, these are both African countries and countries that have applied to BRICS," the source said, "Substantive discussions on dialogue with the states of the Global South are planned."

The BRICS summit will be held on August 22-24 in Johannesburg under the presidency of South Africa. According to South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor, the BRICS leaders will discuss the issue of the organization's expansion at the summit. She revealed that 23 countries have submitted formal applications to join the group.