Ramaphosa confirms Saudi Arabia wants to join Brics family

16 October 2022 - 18:02
By Amanda Khoza
Indian PM Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Brazilian president Michel Temer at the 10th Brics summit in Johannesburg in 2018.
Image: Siyabulela Duda ALL IN THE FAMILY Indian PM Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Brazilian president Michel Temer at the 10th Brics summit in Johannesburg in 2018.

Saudi Arabia has expressed its interest in joining the Brics bloc.

This was revealed by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his two-day state visit to the kingdom on Sunday.

“The Crown Prince (prime minister Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud) did express Saudi Arabia’s desire to be part of Brics and they are not the only country,” said Ramaphosa.

He confirmed this on Sunday during an engagement with the media.

Brics held its first summit in 2009, with SA joining the following year. The bloc has generally been seen as an alternative to the dominance of the western economies.

“We did say that Brics having a summit next year under the chairship of South Africa in SA and the matter is going to be under consideration.

“A number of countries are making approaches to Brics members, and we have given them the same answer that it will be discussed by the Brics partners and thereafter a decision will be made.”

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