The five Brics nations have invited Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to join their emerging-market group, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday.
The countries will join the Brics bloc made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa at the start of next year as the “first phase of the expansion process” for the forum, Ramaphosa said at the end of the summit of Brics leaders in Johannesburg.
“We value the interest of other countries in building a partnership with Brics” and other expansions will follow in the future after the core countries agree on criteria for membership, he added.