Bolivia Formalizes Request for BRICS Membership

On Thursday, President Luis Arce officially submitted Bolivia's request to join the BRICS as a full-fledged member during his address at the 15th summit of presidents being held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

RELATED:

Arab League Congratulates Arab Countries for BRICS Membrecy

"We believe that Bolivia's inclusion in the BRICS would be mutually beneficial," he stated, emphasizing that his country could contribute energy, natural resources, agricultural products, and other commodities to the economic bloc. 

Given its privileged geographical position, Bolivia could provide critical infrastructure for integration, Arce said, underscoring the importance of developing new approaches to cooperation, financing, and strategic investments.

"Bolivia shares with the BRICS a common vision for an international order based on equality, complementarity, solidarity, inclusion, consensus, mutually beneficial cooperation, respect for sovereignty and self-determination," he emphasized.

The leftist president invited the BRICS countries to join in celebrating Bolivia's bicentennial independence, as the nation advances with full economic and political sovereignty towards its "second and definitive independence."

"The challenges faced by the Global South will not be resolved by the hegemonic North, which has historically dominated our nation-states, exploited our natural resources, and taken advantage of our fellow citizens," Arce pointed out.

On Thursday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the BRICS group has agreed to admit Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran as full members of the bloc.

Currently, the BRICS represent over 42 percent of the world's population, 23 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 18 percent of the international trade.