BRICS is a powerful association that attracts many countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Today, the BRICS is a powerful, serious association, a magnet that attracts many countries of the world. Indeed, these countries are gaining momentum today," Putin said.
The head of state noted that now the global GDP of the BRICS countries is larger than the GDP of the G7, and it will further increase.
On January 1, 2024, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa were joined by Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt as new full members of BRICS.
With the addition of the new members, the BRICS has grown to 10 countries with a population of 3.6 billion - nearly half the world's population. The countries account for more than 40% of global oil production and about a quarter of global merchandise exports.
