Palestine to apply for BRICS membership after upcoming Kazan summit

Palestine is expected to submit its application to join the BRICS, a group of emerging economies, after its upcoming summit in October in the city of Kazan, southwestern Russia.

Russian state news agency TASS quoted the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow, Abdel Hafiz Nofal, as saying that Palestine will lodge its application for joining BRICS after attending the summit.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin promised that one session would be fully devoted to Palestine," the Palestinian ambassador said.

Earlier, Putin invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the BRICS summit in Kazan.

"This invitation means that despite all the crimes, killings and destruction in the Gaza Strip, our message is that Palestine wants to live and to develop," Ambassador Nofal added.

BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In January, it welcomed Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE as full members.

Russia took over the BRICS' year-long presidency on Jan. 1, 2024.