Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto expressed his support for Thailand's bid to join BRICS, a group of emerging economies comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Prabowo made the statement while holding a joint press conference with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday."Indonesia fully supports Thailand's efforts to become a member of BRICS, and we are ready to help facilitate the process," President Prabowo said in his statement, which was broadcast by the Thai Prime Minister's Office on Monday.
Russian news agency TASS quoted Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nikondet Phalangkun as saying that Thailand officially received an invitation to join BRICS as a partner country from January 1, 2025.
The partner country status was granted during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, in October last year, marking an initial step toward full membership.
As a partner country, Thailand will take part in special BRICS summit sessions, foreign ministers' meetings, and other high-level events. The country will also have the opportunity to contribute to official BRICS outcome documents.
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Phalangkun said that obtaining BRICS partner status is a significant milestone in Thailand's path toward full membership, which is aimed at increasing trade and investment, as well as ensuring food and energy security.
In addition to Thailand, several other countries became BRICS partners as of January 1, including Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Uganda, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan. For Indonesia, joining the BRICS economic bloc is a move that aligns with its "free and active" foreign policy.
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After participating in the BRICS Plus Summit in Kazan last year, Indonesia considers BRICS as the appropriate platform to champion the interests of developing nations and the Global South.
