ST. PETERSBURG, June 7. /TASS/. Bolivia, just like BRICS countries, is concerned about the threats posed by hybrid warfare conducted by a number of states, President Luis Arce told the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"A large amount of money is being channeled to build bases in other countries that are not territories of the countries that build them. Like the BRICS countries, we are concerned about the threats of hybrid warfare on various fronts that harm our development," he said.

Arce noted that elements of hybrid warfare pose serious risks to Bolivia's industrialization and stability. "We see business elites that serve foreign interests, we talk about it at security conferences. These threats carry risks to Bolivia's stability and industrialization," the country's leader added.

Arce said that if the country's economy remains stable, it can become an even more valuable partner. "For example, such a resource as Bolivian lithium can help in the industrialization of Russia, China and other developing countries," he noted.

The BRICS group has seen two waves of expansion since its emergence in 2006. In 2011, South Africa joined the original membership, which included Brazil, Russia, India and China. In August 2023, six new members, including Argentina, were invited to join the association. Buenos Aires changed its mind in late December last year.

Five newcomers — Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia began full-fledged work in BRICS on January 1, 2024.

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum takes place on June 5-8. This year’s theme is "The Formation of New Areas of Growth as the Cornerstone of a Multipolar World." Scheduled events include meetings for small and medium-sized businesses, creative industries, the SPIEF Youth Day, as well as the Drug Security, SPIEF Academy and SPIEF Junior forums. SPIEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is the information partner of the event.