Malaysia will attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia and is eagerly awaiting a decision on its bid to join the group, the country’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday.
Speaking at the plenary session of the 9th annual Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, the Prime Minister said that BRICS membership would enable his country to “intensify engagement” with sub-regions and strengthen ties with strategic partners, notably Russia.
“By applying to join BRICS, Malaysia aims to diversify its economic diplomacy and strengthen collaboration,” Anwar said he personally thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his invitation to participate in the BRICS summit to be held on October 22-24 in Kazan.
At a press conference with Malaysian media ahead of the session, Anwar said that as a non-member, Malaysia’s invitation to the summit signals that it is among the nations participating in the session. “priority” The Prime Minister said his discussions with the Prime Ministers of India and China, as well as President Putin and the President of Brazil, had all been positive regarding Malaysia’s membership in the group.
Anwar revealed Malaysia’s bid for BRICS membership in June. He said at the time that his country was “relieved” that the world is no longer unipolar and that the rise of the BRICS and China in particular has offered “a glimmer of hope that there are checks and balances in the world.”
BRICS was originally founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. This year, four more countries officially joined the bloc, including Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, with Saudi Arabia currently finalising the accession process.
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Lavrov reveals BRICS community’s position on expansion
Speaking at the EEF plenary session, Putin said that more than 30 countries have so far expressed interest in joining or cooperating with BRICS. He noted that relations between the member states are “is developing very successfully”, and that all new members contribute to the development of the group with their distinctive cultures and a rapidly developing economy.
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