KUWAIT: Kuwait is eager to take part in international events that support development and economic growth, said a senior Kuwaiti official. The remarks were made to KUNA by Representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Mohammad Al-Aiban in a phone call on Saturday, after the conclusion of the Brics Summit last Thursday in South Africa.

Al-Aiban said that during the event, he met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazilian President Lula da Silva and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, where they discussed food security and sustainable development. Kuwait took part in the open general session titled “Brics and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism. The session was attended by world leaders and other officials from about 50 countries.

At the event’s conclusion, Brics announced inviting six new countries to become members, notably Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Argentina, Iran and Ethiopia, starting January 2024. Brics consists of five of the world’s fastest economically growing countries, including South Africa, Brazil, China, India and Russia. These countries represent about 23 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP), 42 percent of the world population and over 16 percent of world trade. Meanwhile, a government source has denied the validity of reports that the BRICS Group rejected Kuwait’s request to join the group.

Kuwait Minister of Commerce and Industry holds talks UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The source stressed that Kuwait has not submitted an official application to join the group’s membership, stressing that Kuwait actively participated in the group’s summit, which witnessed the presence of officials from about 50 countries. In another development, the Emirati leadership has expressed appreciation towards the BRICS invitation for the UAE to join the group by January 2024. UAE President Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan said on his account on X platform, formerly Twitter, “We respect the vision of the BRICS leadership and appreciate the inclusion of the UAE as a member to this important group”.

“We respect the vision of the BRICS leadership and appreciate the inclusion of the UAE as a member to this important group,” he added. On his part, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed Al-Maktoum said in a similarly statement on X “The approval of the UAE joining the BRICS group today represents a success for its balanced international policy led by my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, President of the State.”

“The country’s accession to this group also represents an extension of its philosophy based on building positive international multilateral partnerships, and consolidates its international economic and trade position as a reliable partner linking the world’s north with its south and east with west.” During the BRICS group summit in Johannesburg, Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa, extended invitation to five countries—Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, and Argentina—to join the 2006-establish group compromising of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. - KUNA