Belarus has announced that it has been officially granted the status of a partner country of BRICS.
“A formal response to the written invitation is a mandatory part of the procedure agreed upon by member states to obtain partner status. From this moment, the country is officially considered a BRICS partner,” the Belarusian government said in a statement.
The statement also noted that BRICS has been continuously strengthening multilateral cooperation since its formation, becoming a pillar of multipolarity. It added that partner country status provides for permanent participation in special sessions of the bloc’s summit and meetings of foreign ministers.
Additionally, partners can join BRICS’s final documents, thereby expanding their geographical coverage and strengthening the association’s voice in international affairs.
Originally founded in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, the group officially welcomed South Africa in 2011.
The bloc has also been joined by Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Photo: brics-russia2024.ru/Sergey Bobylev