Belarusian MFA: First wave of BRICS expansion set to include dozens of countries

The first wave of expansion for the BRICS group will be announced during the upcoming summit in Kazan, scheduled from October 22 to 24. This was confirmed by Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov, Azernews reports via the Russian media.

Ryzhenkov indicated that the initial expansion is expected to encompass dozens of countries, stating, "Currently, the Russian presidency is forming a list of these countries that will be in the first wave of expansion."

As it stands, BRICS consists of nine member countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Notably, 34 countries have submitted applications to join the organization, including Azerbaijan and Turkiye.