Astana, Aug 24 (EFE) – Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest nation, indicated on Thursday its interest in joining the BRICS Group (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) after the bloc agreed to admit six other members starting in 2024.
“Kazakhstan would like to contribute to the development potential of the BRICS as a member state,” said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a video conference at the bloc’s summit in South Africa.
According to Tokayev, Thursday’s summit could notably strengthen the role of BRICS and assist in addressing global challenges through open dialogue and mutual understanding.
The Kazakh leader, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), urged both groups to “join efforts” on key issues, especially in seeking a formula for peace, stability, and security in the world, based on the UN Charter.
“To this end, at the SCO summit this year, I put forward the initiative ‘On World Unity for a Just Peace and Accord,’ which is aimed at achieving progress in the field of global security and stability, as well as establishing a more rational political and economic international order,” Tokayev said.
“The growing role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has been universally recognized. The organization brings together countries with rapidly developing economies, possessing huge human resources, natural resources and technological potential,” he noted.
The emerging economies group announced its approval Thursday for the addition of Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran to the BRICS bloc.
Around 40 countries had expressed a desire to join the group, according to the South African government, which holds this year’s rotating presidency of the bloc and had received “formal expressions of interest” from 23 countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, and Venezuela.
Brazil, Russia, India, and China established the BRIC group in 2006, which South Africa joined in 2010, adding the “S” to the acronym.
The bloc represents over 42% of the global population and 30% of the world’s land area, as well as 23% of global GDP and 18% of worldwide trade. EFE
Source : LaPrensaLatina