Belarus officially joined the BRICS economic bloc as a partner, confirmed by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Minsk to TASS. On November 5, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, signed an official letter to the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, announcing the readiness of Belarus for partnership participation in BRICS, as quoted by Focus.
The document was handed personally by the Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Rizhenkov to the Russian Ambassador in Minsk Boris Gryzlov during a meeting. According to BRICS requirements, the written response is a key step in the accession procedure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Minsk specified. With the delivery of the document, Belarus is officially recognized as a partner in the group.
President Lukashenko expressed his gratitude to Putin for the support provided and emphasized the importance of Belarus joining the BRICS during the period of the Russian presidency of the group.