Cuba and Bolivia could join the BRICS as partner countries as of January 1, 2025, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Izvestia newspaper.
Both Latin American nations are part of the group that received an invitation. We trust that everything will work out well regarding their inclusion as partners, the Russian diplomat indicated.
The vice chancellor stressed that negotiations on the inclusion of the group’s guest states in the status of partners have not yet been finalized, but Russia has not received any refusal.
“For all invited countries this is a big and serious prospect, there are only a few days left, after which the corresponding list will be made public,” he added.
On October 23, Russian presidential advisor Yuri Ushakov reported that a list of 13 states that could become BRICS partner countries had been agreed upon.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksánder Pankin declared on November 15 that Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia had become partners in the group. Meanwhile, another Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrei Rudenko, said that Vietnam had also announced its desire to join as a partner state.
On January 1, 2024, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) was expanded to include Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia.
Russia became the first president of the expanded BRICS. Brazil will assume the Presidency next year.
