BRICS Invites 6 Nations, Including Saudi Arabia, to Join the Bloc

(From L to R) President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of China Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attend the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg on August 24, 2023. (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP)

Leaders of the BRICS group of developing nations have invited Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Ethiopia and Argentina to join the bloc.

Expansion could also pave the way for dozens of interested countries seeking admission to BRICS - currently Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is hosting a summit of BRICS leaders, announced on Thursday that the new candidates would be admitted as members on Jan. 1, 2024.

The debate over enlargement has topped the agenda at the three-day summit taking place in Johannesburg.

More than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials, and 22 have formally asked to be admitted.