COLOMBO: The Russian embassy in Sri Lanka has rejected the fake news being circulated claiming that Sri Lanka’s bid to join the BRICS grouping has been rejected.
Sharing the clarification on the social media platform, X, the Russian Embassy in Colombo released a press statement regarding the issue, and said the Russian BRICS Chairship welcomed Sri Lanka’s interest.
“The Embassy noticed the misleading article regarding the Sri Lanka’s bid for BRICS membership which was published in the ‘Sunday Island’ on November 09, 2024”. “The Embassy would like to highlight that Sri Lanka has applied to join BRICS. The Russian BRICS Chairship welcomed Sri Lanka’s interest”, the press statement noted.
The Russian Embassy further informed that Sri Lanka’s application would be considered by BRICS in due course of time, along with full consultation and consensus. The application would be considered along with the bids of numerous other countries who have also applied.
Notably, various countries have expressed interest in joining the BRICS grouping in recent times. These include nations like Malaysia and Thailand amongst others. “The local media reports that Sri Lanka’s application has been rejected are wrong”, the Russian Embassy added.
Russia welcomes the Sri Lanka’s interest in BRICS 🤝 pic.twitter.com/24X9DioOnw
— Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka (@RusEmbSriLanka) November 10, 2024
The 16th BRICS Summit took place in Kazan, Russia from October 22 to October 24. BRIC, as a formal grouping, started after the meeting of the Leaders of Russia, India and China in St Petersburg on the margins of the G8 Outreach Summit in 2006. The grouping was formalized during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers on the margins of UNGA in New York in 2006. The first BRIC Summit was held in Russia’s Yekaterinburg in 2009.
It was agreed to expand BRIC into BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa at the BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New York in 2010. South Africa attended the 3rd BRICS Summit in Sanya in 2011. A further expansion of BRICS took place in 2024 with five new members — Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, it was expressed that the expansion of BRICS with the addition of new members last year has added to its inclusivity and agenda for the global good. India has routinely expressed great faith in multilateral institutions such as BRICS.
“India values the close cooperation within BRICS which has emerged as an important platform for dialogue and discussion on issues concerning the global developmental agenda, reformed multilateralism, climate change, economic cooperation, building resilient supply chains, promoting cultural and people to people connect, among others”, PM Modi had earlier noted. (ANI)