APA-Pretoria (South Africa) Argentina’s newly elected President Javier Milei says his country will not join the BRICS group next year despite the invitation extended to the South American nation during the BRICS summit held in Johannesburg in August.
Chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the summit invited Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to join the grouping of the world’s top emerging economies on 1 January 2024.
But in a letter addressed to the leaders of BRICS, Milei said the moment was not “opportune” for Argentina to join as a full member.
The letter was released by the Argentinian government on Friday – the last working day of 2023.
Argentina’s withdrawal means the group would now be a 10-nation bloc.
The group currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
NM/jn/APA