The BRICS might expand more in 2025, since its member countries are likely to decide on full-fledged members as well as eligibility requirements for partners, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"People in the countries of the global East vote mainly for politicians promising to strengthen their relations with BRICS one way or another. I have said already that some countries claim full-fledged membership. This issue will be taken into account over the whole next year," Lavrov said in an interview to TV BRICS, the Russian media reported.
The Russian minister pointed out that many countries "want to take part in BRICS events".
"There are more than 30 of them. As I have said, the criteria for the partner country category will be agreed upon. After the summit in Kazan, the Russian presidency sent invitations to several countries that applied to join our work. Ten such countries enjoy a consensus among the existing BRICS members," he said.
"We have an agreement that once we receive a response from the invited country, this country will be declared as joining BRICS as a partner country. We believe that they will have an opportunity to take part in all BRICS events," he added.
Following the recent BRICS summit in Kazan, Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam were added as partner countries. Although Russian authorities declared the number of partner countries, these were not named and it was BRICS members' media, or a particular country's leaders, who identified the partner countries.
Lavrov also said: "A separate format of meetings involving only full-fledged members is most likely to be preserved, and all other formats, including Outreach Plus ones, meetings of Foreign and other ministers (of Economy, Energy, Trade, Health, Culture) will be open to them."
He, however said that they want the partner countries "to join this work".
"They will take part in practically all events," the Russian Minister said.
In response, he also said regarding the influence of BRICS in the world: "It influences the domestic processes in the sense that being informed about BRICS' work, its achievements and plans it sets and implements, people want to join this equitable and mutually beneficial process."
