This article is more than
1 year oldThe BRICS group of emerging economies made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa is debating whether to expand the bloc and allow new members more than a decade after it came into existence.
More than 20 countries have formally applied to join the group, officials say, with Saudi Arabia one of the most significant.
Four of the bloc's leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, are in Johannesburg for the group's first in-person meeting since the Covid-19 pandemic. Putin is not attending after an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for him over the war in Ukraine complicated his travel to South Africa, but he is participating virtually.
FRANCE 24's coverage of the BRICS summit can be found below:
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