BRICS is becoming an association expressing the interests of the "world majority" and Moscow feels responsible for its further strengthening, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said on Monday while addressing the Primakov Readings, an international forum aimed at promoting dialogue on trends in global politics and economics.
He recalled the efforts of the late Russian politician and diplomat Yevgeny Primakov, who held various government posts, to develop relations between Russia, China, and India.
The Kremlin official noted that it was during Primakov's visits to Beijing and New Delhi that the foundations were laid for the BRICS association, "which today has become the most important instrument of global governance by the vanguard of the world majority."
"Russia, as everyone knows, will chair this expanded association next year. And, undoubtedly, we understand our responsibility to ensure that the new BRICS members are successfully integrated into the functioning of the association, and that the association itself accordingly increases its influence on world politics and world affairs," Ushakov said.
In August this year, 23 countries, including Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, officially applied to join the BRICS grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
At the bloc's summit in Johannesburg, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia were invited to join BRICS from January 1, 2024.