Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal has said his state will apply to join the BRICS intergovernmental organization – a group which also includes Russia and China.
Russian state news outlet TASS reported that the ambassador made the announcement during a press conference, and said an application to join BRICS would be submitted after the group’s Kazan summit in October.
“After our first participation in the summit we will send an application for joining this association. Russian President Vladimir Putin promised that one session would be fully devoted to Palestine. We have the most positive expectations from this summit,” he was reported to have said.
“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,” Nofal added.
Nofal was selected by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to his position in 2015, following his previous role as ambassador to South Africa.
Prior to this, Nofal held economic ministerial positions in Abbas’ government, such as Deputy Minister of the Ministry of National Economy between 2008 and 2013.
Newsweek has reached out to the Palestinian embassy in Russia as well as Russia and China’s foreign ministries for comment via email.
Moscow hosted Abbas earlier in August, with the Russian premier reportedly reiterating his support for a “full-fledged Palestinian state.”
“Everyone is well aware that Russia today, unfortunately, must defend its interests and defend its people with arms in hand. But what is happening in the Middle East, what is happening in Palestine, of course, does not go unnoticed on our part,” Putin said, according to Reuters – citing a Kremlin transcript.
Abbas’ visit to Russia followed the news that the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 40,000 amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas, according to the area’s Hamas-run health ministry.
What Is BRICS?
BRICS is an acronym that represents a group of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Additional members include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The geopolitical bloc seeks to enhance its influence on global governance, particularly in institutions like the United Nations, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund (IMF), advocating for reforms that would better reflect the interests of emerging economies.
BRICS holds annual summits where member countries discuss issues related to economic cooperation, political coordination, and social and cultural exchange. The bloc has also established various cooperative mechanisms, including the New Development Bank (NDB), which funds infrastructure and development projects.
The large populations, growing economies, and substantial natural resources of these nations means that the group collectively accounts for a significant portion of the world’s population and economic output, playing an increasingly important role in global economic and political affairs.
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