Minsk’s application for BRICS membership to be considered on priority basis

Belarus has been reassured that its application for the BRICS membership will be considered on a priority basis, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik said on August 27.

"We hope for the soonest consideration of our application which was officially filed in May. During our communication with the BRICS member countries we received very clear promises that our application will be considered on a priority basis," he said in an interview with the ONT television channel, TASS reports.

According to Aleinik, Belarus "has something to offer" to BRICS.

He also said that today cooperation within BRICS is focused on issues of sustainable economic development and the establishment of fairer alternatives to the existing payment systems.

"This topic was in focus of attention [at the recent BRICS summit in Johannesburg]," he said, adding that his country also wants to join the BRICS New Development Bank.

The top Belarusian diplomat also noted that the consolidation of efforts of the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and BRICS give an impetus to the processes of the formation of a multipolar world.

Belarus officially applied to join BRICS in May.