Russian deputy FM hopes new BRICS members will benefit from accession to group

MOSCOW. Jan 30 (Interfax) - Russia is hopeful that all new BRICS members will benefit from their decision to join this association, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Russia's BRICS Sherpa Sergei Ryabkov said.

"Five countries, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, became full-fledged members of BRICS in January 2024. It is a great honor for me to welcome you to the BRICS family. We hope that each of you will be able to benefit from this important step, which can be described as a turning point without any exaggeration," Ryabkov said on Tuesday, opening the first meeting of the BRICS countries' sherpas and sous-sherpas as part of Russia's BRICS presidency.

"In the expanded format, BRICS will continue to build a fairer multipolar world. Given the current situation in the world, emerging economies' voice will become louder, boosting their role in the tackling the world's tasks," he said.

Russia's BRICS presidency will include more than 200 events in dozens of Russian cities, Ryabkov said.

The highlight will be the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024, Ryabkov said. Nizhny Novgorod will host a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in June.

During its BRICS presidency, Russia will seek to ensure the new members' "harmonious and smooth inclusion" in all of the group's mechanisms and procedures, he said.