KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has been added to the list of nations recognised by BRICS as a partner country, according to a post on @BRICSinfo X account.
BRICS, a bloc that collectively accounts for one-fifth of global trade, officially added 13 new nations to the alliance as partner countries, with the other 12 being Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkiye, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
However, another post mentioned that they are not full members.
Yesterday, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed new countries to join the intergovernmental organisation, signalling a nod to Malaysia’s inclusion.
“India is ready to welcome new countries into BRICS as ‘partner countries,’” Anadolu Agency (AA) quoted Modi as saying during a summit of BRICS leaders in Kazan, Russia.
In June, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed the country’s intention to join BRICS in a discussion with Brazillian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
In July, Anwar confirmed that Malaysia had submitted an application to Russia to join the intergovernmental organisation.
Russia currently chairs the bloc, which also includes Brazil, India, China and South Africa.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China, was established in 2009 as a cooperation platform for emerging economies, with South Africa joining in 2010.
The bloc has since expanded to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.
BRICS represents about 40% of the global population and accounts for a cumulative gross domestic product (GDP) of US$26.6 trillion, or 26.2% of the world’s GDP, nearly matching the economic strength of the Group of Seven (G7).
The G7 is an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union.
Minister of Economy, Rafizi Ramli, is scheduled to deliver the country’s national statement at the BRICS Outreach/BRICS Plus Summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 24, 2024. – October 24, 2024