NAYPYIDAW /Myanmar/, December 3. /TASS/. Myanmar is eager to engage with BRICS and will make every effort to eventually join the bloc, Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Than Swe, told TASS in an exclusive interview.
"I think BRICS has now 45% of the global population," Than Swe said, adding that Myanmar "is situated near two members," namely India and China. He also pointed out that the country maintains strong relations with other BRICS member states.
According to the top diplomat, Myanmar holds a highly advantageous geo-economic position, as it is "surrounded by five neighbors (China, India, Bangladesh, Laos and Thailand - TASS), where 3.2 billion people reside, so we can say that it’s one of the largest market areas in the world."
According to the prime minister, Myanmar is strategically located at the heart of this market, acting as a land bridge between South Asia, China, and Southeast Asia. The country also boasts a vast Indian Ocean coastline, and if a regional infrastructure network is developed, Myanmar could become a gateway to the region, the diplomat added.
"Myanmar is very much interested in BRICS, that’s why we announce our participation. We look at it economically," Than Swe stated, adding that the country will take incremental steps toward joining the organization. He also expressed his belief that all developing countries desire peace, stability, and improved socio-economic conditions, not a repeat of colonialism, and that is why they are eager to participate in BRICS. According to him, many developing countries anticipate that in the future, BRICS could lead the advancement of the socio-economic agenda for developing nations both regionally and globally.
After the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the group had agreed on a list of its partner countries, although their names were not disclosed. In the initial phase, invitations would be sent to these nations, and announcements would be made once a positive response is received.
The BRICS group was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia joined the group. The Kazan Summit marked the first time they participated as full members.
Russia has already hosted over 250 events during its BRICS chairmanship in 2024, and several other events are planned before the year's end. On January 1, 2025, the BRICS chairmanship will pass to Brazil.