Aykhan Hajizada: Over 30 countries want to become BRICS members, which shows growing interest in organization

In addition to Azerbaijan, more than 30 countries have applied to join BRICS. The representation of countries with significant weight in the world economy and different geographies in the organization indicates the growing interest in BRICS, and Azerbaijan is one of the interested parties, Aykhan Hajizada, the spokesperson of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in an interview with Report.

He noted that Azerbaijan officially applied for BRICS membership on April 2 this year, sending its application to the organization's chair.

"BRICS, an international intergovernmental cooperation platform, has been operating for approximately 18 years. Currently, the member states of BRICS include Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. The organization encompasses over 30% of the world's territory, approximately 43% of its population, and 26% of its GDP. The member states possess vast natural resources, large domestic markets, and labor reserves, with several members having high-tech industries.

BRICS brings together countries that are members of international and regional structures such as the UN Security Council, G20, Non-Aligned Movement, African Union, and Shanghai Cooperation Organization. With all these factors, BRICS has become a significant force in the system of international relations," he said.

"Cooperation within the BRICS framework is based on the principles of non-interference in internal affairs, equality, and mutual benefit. BRICS documents express the determination to work together for the establishment of peace and security in the world based on the principles of sovereign equality of states, non-interference in each other's affairs, respect for territorial integrity, and the norms and principles of international law.

There are a wide range of cooperation areas within the BRICS framework. In general, cooperation is carried out in three main areas: political and security, financial and economic, and cultural and people-to-people relations. BRICS has various institutions, working groups, and cooperation mechanisms, ranging from banking and financial institutions to the Academic Forum and Think Tanks Council.

The areas of BRICS cooperation include combating threats and challenges such as terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, illicit drug trafficking, cybercrime, climate change, and the difficulties of the post-pandemic period.

Azerbaijan, as a reliable partner in the region, continues to contribute to the maintenance of international and regional peace and security and develops cooperation towards strengthening the rule of international law. To this end, cooperation is being developed and deepened on many international multilateral platforms," he added.

Full interview is available here