Saudi Arabia’s full membership in the BRICS group officially begins
As of the January 1st, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has become officially a member in the BRICS group.
BRICS, which so far included Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa, agreed during its summit in Johannesburg last August that Saudi Arabia, along with the UAE, Egypt, Iran, Argentina and Ethiopia, would join the group starting in 2024.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said during his participation in the Johannesburg summit that Saudi Arabia enjoys strong friendships, trade relations and strategic partnerships with the BRICS Council countries.
He added that Saudi Arabia stresses the importance of activating collective and multilateral action and is keen to exercise its responsibilities to sustain international cooperation.
Russia assumed the presidency of the BRICS group this year, and Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a speech on this occasion, “Egypt, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia have joined BRICS as new full members… This convincingly demonstrates the growing prestige of this group and its strengthening role in global affairs… We’ll take all possible steps to facilitate the harmonious integration of new participants into all forms of its activities”.
Meanwhile, there is ambiguity surrounding Argentina’s position on the BRICS group and the issue of its joining, after the right-wing came to power there, and repeated statements by both the new Argentine President Javier Milei and his Foreign Minister, Diana Mondino, that Argentina won’t join the BRICS group.
