With its 15th summit being held in Johannesburg from August 22 to 24, 2023, the group seeks to onboard other country members. This is going to be the first in-person BRICS summit since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. According to World Bank data 2019, the BRICS has a total of 16 percent of world trade with 24 percent of global GDP. Data also shows that BRICS holds 41 percent of the world's population, representing 3.14 billion people. As the 2023 chair of the BRICS, South Africa says over 40 countries have expressed interest to join the bloc, in a bit to unlock benefits as such increased trade and investments.

Source: Daily Nation August 21, 2023 13:58 UTC