Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will lead a high-ranking delegation to the expanded BRICS summit in Russia’s Kazan city from October 23-24 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday.

The coming trip will mark the first time that PM Chinh has visited Russia since he took office and also the first time that Vietnam has participated in this annual event at the head-of-government level.

More than 30 leaders of countries and international organizations, including United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, have confirmed their attendance at the summit, according to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

President Putin, as chair of the BRICS group in 2024, is expected to have about 20 bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries on the sidelines of the event. 

The BRICS group was initially formed by Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2006, with South Africa joining in 2010.

Early this year, BRICS expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates while maintaining its original name.

According to the European Union, after the addition of five new members, the BRICS group now accounts for 37.3 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP).

At a press meeting on May 9, Vietnamese foreign ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang stated that Vietnam, as a responsible and active member of the international community, is ready to participate in and make active contributions to global and regional multilateral mechanisms, organizations and forums. 

She made the statement when being asked by reporters for comments about the BRICS account on social media X saying that Vietnam will join BRICS in 2024.

On June 11, when attending the ‘BRICS Dialogue with Developing Countries’ in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang commented that the BRICS has the potential to play an increasingly larger role in promoting dialogue and coordinating international efforts to address global challenges.

During his state visit to Vietnam in June, President Putin and Vietnamese leaders issued a joint statement affirming continued cooperation between the BRICS and developing countries, including Vietnam.

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