Shafaq News/ The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, on Tuesday, that it has officially applied to join the BRICS group, which represents 45% of the world's population and includes Arab countries as well as major global economies.

According to "Russia Today Arabic", Azerbaijan is interested in strengthening cooperation with BRICS. A joint statement released yesterday by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that Moscow supports Azerbaijan's aspirations.

The BRICS group currently includes Russia, Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

Russia has been chairing BRICS since January 1, 2024, coinciding with the group's historic expansion. The city of Kazan in Russia is set to host the BRICS summit from October 22 to 24, 2024.