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Saudi Arabia ‘still has not joined Brics’

By Pramod Kumar
Brazil, China, South Africa, India and Russia see Brics expansion as a tool to counter US influence, but Saudi Arabia has yet to decide whether to join Alet Pretorius/Pool via Reuters
Brazil, China, South Africa, India and Russia see Brics expansion as a tool to counter US influence, but Saudi Arabia has yet to decide whether to join

Saudi Arabia is still considering an invitation to become a member of the Brics bloc of countries after being asked to join by the group last year, a Saudi official source told Reuters.

The comment comes after South Africa’s foreign minister Naledi Pandor said the kingdom and five other countries have joined the bloc.

“Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to the invitation to join Brics. It is still under consideration,” the source added.

Last August, founding members Brazil, Russia, India and China – together with South Africa, which joined a year after the bloc came together in 2009 – invited six other nations, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and Argentina, to become part of the group.

Argentina declined the invitation after President Javier Milei, who took office in December, reversed his predecessor’s membership bid.

Saudi Arabia has not formally become a member of the Brics bloc of countries, Majid Al Kasabi, Saudi Minister of Social Affairs, told the World Economic Forum in Davos.

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