After officially submitting its application to join BRICS, Algeria now wishes to become an observer member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), according to remarks made by Algeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, to Italian news agency Nova.
"We have expressed our intention to join BRICS and are looking forward to the summit which will be held in South Africa in August. We have been informed that decisions on the membership criteria will be taken on this occasion. We are waiting for these decisions," Attaf said.
Expansion of the organization will be on the agenda of the 15th BRICS Summit, which is scheduled to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 22 to 24 August 2023.
"We have also asked to become an observer country within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," the Minister added.
In November 2022, Algeria applied to join the BRICS and Algeria's President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, was guest of honor at the 26th St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which has just taken place from 14 to 17 June. As such, Tebboune addressed the plenary session with Russian President Vladimir Putin.