Cyril Ramaphosa announces BRICS expansion to 11 countries

Iran, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will be joining Brics from 1 January next year, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has said.

The debate over expanding the group – made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – has topped the agenda at the summit in Johannesburg, the BBC reported.

There have been divisions about whether expansion now is the best move.

The group wants to gain more influence in the world.