Media: Turkish leader to attend BRICS summit in Russia

The Turkish administration has announced that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to participate in the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

Türkiye had applied for BRICS membership several months ago. The expansion of the BRICS group may be discussed at the summit scheduled to take place in Kazan from October 22-24, where President Erdogan has been invited, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's aide, Yury Ushakov, confirmed on September 4 that Türkiye's application is under consideration. However, Turkish authorities have not yet officially confirmed the media’s report.

On September 3, Omer Celik, spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), stated that while President Erdogan has frequently expressed Türkiye’s interest in joining BRICS, no definitive decisions have been made yet. BRICS is an acronym for an association of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The group was originally known as BRIC until South Africa joined in 2010, expanding the acronym.  Established in 2009, BRICS was created to foster collaboration among these countries in various fields such as economic development, political dialogue, and cultural exchange.

The organisation aims to enhance the global influence of its member states and provide a platform for coordination on international economic and political issues. The primary goal of BRICS is to promote peace, security, and development across the member states and in the broader global context.

The group seeks to reform global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to better reflect the economic weight of emerging economies. BRICS countries collaborate on a range of issues including trade, investment, and sustainable development.