BANGKOK, August 29. /TASS/. The accession to BRICS of six new members representing three continents contributes to the alliance’s credibility, Thai columnist Kavi Chongkittavorn said.

"In Johannesburg, the leaders of BRICS invited six new countries to join their organization early next year. Although there were 23 applicants, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were chosen for their geopolitical significance. Between them, they represent three continents - Latin America, the Middle East and Africa - which have the potential power to be regional catalysts in helping to boost the BRICS profile," he said.

"The BRICS expansion will bear even more fruit if it can demonstrate that its major members have been more cooperative. Ties between India and China are important foundations for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the solidarity of the bloc. Both countries have fought border wars in recent years. Those memories are still fresh. Ways must be found for the two economic giants to reconcile and forge closer cooperation.

BRICS still has a long way to go. There is no need to rush in order to compete with the West. Concrete outcomes and fruitful cooperation on shared visions among BRICS members will be testimony that counties in the southern hemisphere want a more secure world, in which it can determine its own future and pattern of development," the expert noted.

"In the future, if some ASEAN members decide to become members of BRICS, it would increase the bloc’s creditability and profile. Overall, it would also help dilute the optics that BRICS is an anti-Western grouping," Chongkittavorn pointed out.

The BRICS Summit was held on August 22-24 in South Africa. As a result of the summit, the leaders of the member states of the alliance adopted the Johannesburg Declaration, which states that new countries will join BRICS. From 2024, six new countries - Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - will join the association.