Anil Sooklal said that, in addition to the 22 countries that have formally asked to join, an equal number of countries have informally expressed an interest in becoming BRICS members, including all the major Global South countries.

South Africa, which is hosting the upcoming BRICS summit in Johannesburg next month, proposed an expansion in 2018, Sooklal said, and serious discussions about adding new members began last year.

BRICS was formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009, with South Africa joining in 2010, and the bloc has remained at five countries since then.