BRICS will be joined by six new member countries from January 1 next year

The BRICS nations will invite six nations to become full members. These countries are Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Argentina, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and they will join Brazil, Russia, China, India and South Africa. Membership will take effect from January 1 next year.  

"We have consensus on first phase of this BRICS expansion process," South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa said in Johannesburg, "We have decided to invite the Argentine Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, to become full members." 

"The membership will take effect from the first of January, 2024," he further said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Johannesburg to attend the BRICS Summit, welcomed all six nations and vowed to work with the other nations to continue adding nations that express interest in joining. He stressed India's full support for broadening cooperation among members.  

"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,” he said in his speech.

BRICS expansion has been a major focus area at this summit, with expansion calls also backed by China President Xi Jinping. Over 20 countries have already applied for full membership.  

"We need to... accelerate the BRICS expansion process... to pool our strengths (and) our wisdom to make global governance more just and equitable,” the Chinese Premier said.