BRICS expanded: Argentina, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE become full members

BRICS group of nations on Thursday decided to include six new members- Argentina, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

The new membership will be effective from January 1, 2024.

Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) supported the expansion of the grouping, the first such expansion since 2010 when South Africa was inducted into the group.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa said that Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE have been invited to join the BRICS as part of the first phase of expansion.

With this expansion, six of the world's nine largest oil producers are now part of BRICS.

Ramaphosa made the announcement while issuing the Johannesburg Declaration of the 15th BRICS Summit. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "I take this opportunity to welcome these six nations to BRICS... and I congratulate the leaders and people of these nations. India has close ties, historic ties, with each of these countries and I believe we will work together for a new era of cooperation and prosperity," PM Modi said.

"On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of BRICS, we have taken the decision to expand this forum. India has always fully supported this expansion. Such an expansion will make BRICS stronger and more effective. In that spirit, India welcomes Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE into the BRICS family," he later said on X (earlier Twitter).

On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of BRICS, we have taken the decision to expand this forum. India has always fully supported this expansion. Such an expansion will make BRICS stronger and more effective.

In that spirit, India welcomes Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran,…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 24, 2023

President Ramaphosa, as chair of the Summit and of BRICS made the announcement in his opening statement and thereafter the President invited his counterparts and colleagues from the BRICS member states to also present their statements.

"This summit reaffirmed the importance of BRICS, people-to-people exchanges & enhancing friendship & cooperation...We adopted the Johannesburg two declarations which reflect key BRICS messages on matters of global economic, financial, and political importance. It demonstrates the shared values & common interests that underlie our mutually beneficial cooperation as the five BRICS countries..." Ramaphosa said.