Ethiopia enters the expanded BRICS grouping

South Africa’s president publicly named Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE as invitees for membership from January 2024. Their eventual status required separate verification.

Invited leaders from Africa and the wider Global South joined a dialogue on development and more representative global governance. Attendance did not itself confer BRICS membership.

Two agreements totaling US$1.7 billion supported Brazilian environmental and sustainable-development priorities through its national development bank.

The bank signed a US$2 billion facility, including an optional increase, diversifying how it raises capital for development lending.

Egypt joined the leaders’ grouping following the Johannesburg invitation. This is separate from its earlier entry into the New Development Bank.

Iran joined the group following the Johannesburg invitation, broadening participation from West Asia.

The UAE joined BRICS following its 2023 invitation. It had separately become an NDB member in 2021.

The first BRICS Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum brought together business networks and drew attention to women’s access to finance and innovation.

The forum advanced a roadmap for tourism exchanges, skills, sustainable tourism and digital services.

Parliamentary representatives signed a protocol linked to the forum’s memorandum, strengthening exchanges among legislatures after enlargement.