BRICS approves Cuba, Bolivia, and 11 other countries as ‘partner states’

Brasil de Fato

The BRICS countries have agreed to include 13 nations in the category of “partner states” in the association. However, the entry of these countries will not be made official during the summit. According to this definition, the Russian presidency will hold consultations with the partner countries to make membership of the BRICS official. The figure was confirmed earlier by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov.  

The group of countries invited to join the BRICS as “partner states” includes Turkey, Indonesia, Algeria, Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Vietnam, Nigeria, and Uganda.  

According to diplomatic sources from the Brazilian delegation in Kazan heard by Brasil de Fato, Venezuela was left off the list due to Brazil’s veto, which was presented during the preliminary negotiations of the summit.     

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira stated that the leading BRICS countries have reached a consensus on the ‘criteria and principles’ that will guide the bloc’s future expansion. He made this announcement on Wednesday (23) during a press conference with Brazilian media at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. 

“The discussion focused on the criteria and principles for future BRICS expansion. Currently, there are 10 member countries, but there will be more in the future. These principles and criteria have been discussed, approved, and agreed upon,” said Vieira.  

“This has been our primary task in recent days, led by the Sherpas. Regarding the list of new members, consultations will begin soon. The Russian presidency will consult with each current member, and we will announce the countries. If not by the end of the year, then next year, and the responsibility will pass to the Brazilian presidency,” he added. 

The final document of the 16th BRICS Summit, the “Kazan Declaration,” confirmed the establishment of the category of “BRICS Partner Countries, highlighting considerable interest from Global South nations.” 

According to the Russian authorities, more than 30 countries have expressed their desire to collaborate in some way with the BRICS group.  

Leaders from 36 countries attend the summit in Kazan 

According to the organizers of the 16th BRICS Summit, 36 countries have sent leaders to participate. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also attending the summit, prompting criticism from Ukraine.  

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry criticized the fact that Guterres accepted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to attend the BRICS summit but abstained from the “peace summit” on the war in Ukraine.  

“The UN Secretary-General rejected Ukraine’s invitation to the first Global Peace Summit in Switzerland,” said the Ukrainian ministry. “This is a wrong choice that does not promote the cause of peace. It only damages the reputation of the UN,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.   

According to UN spokesperson Farhan Haque, ‘the secretary-general will reiterate his well-known stance on the war in Ukraine and the conditions for a fair and just peace based on the UN Charter, international law, and UN resolutions. 

Haque pointed out that Guterres is attending the BRICS summit in Kazan “just as he did in South Africa, as this is standard practice for attending meetings of organizations such as the G7 and G20, which include many important states.”