KAZAN, October 23. /TASS/. The goal of BRICS is to ensure broad cooperation in the interests of most countries in the world, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the association's summit in an expanded format.

"Our task is to ensure cooperation, broad cooperation in the interests of most countries in the world. Of course, this is what we are gathering and working for," he said.

The 16th BRICS Summit, which is the key event of Russia’s chairmanship in the association, is being held in Kazan on October 22-24. 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 Kazan summit will be the first to be attended by the new members of the association. Representatives of over 30 countries are expected to take part.