NAIROBI, April 12, 2025 (BSS/TASS) - Senegal intends to join BRICS and it is conducting negotiations with members of the association, the country's Foreign Minister Yassine Fall said.

"Senegal is one of the countries, which liked the creation of BRICS, and which are conducting negotiations with this group of countries to become its part," the Seneplus news portal quoted her as saying.

Senegal is able to play a positive role in the association, the minister added. "Senegal may contribute to BRICS due to its stability, resources, and the wish to develop industry," she noted, adding that the BRICS format provides "more space for exchange of views and access to commercial resources."

Since its inception in 2006, BRICS has experienced two phases of expansion. In 2011, South Africa joined the original group, which included Brazil, Russia, India, and China. On January 1, 2024, five new members officially entered BRICS, namely Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia.

Brazil took over BRICS presidency from Russia on January 1, 2025. At a BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia in October 2024, it was decided to establish a category of BRICS partner countries. The first countries to become partners were Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan. Indonesia was also initially named as a BRICS partner, but on January 6, Brazil announced that the Asian country had been given a status of full member. On January 17, Brazil's Foreign Ministry said that Nigeria had joined BRICS as a partner.