Belarus has joined the BRICS international association as a partner, TASS reports, citing the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic.

On November 5, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko sent an official appeal to the President of the Russian Federation expressing his readiness to join the BRICS association as a partner. The document was handed over during a meeting between the head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Maxim Ryzhenkov and the Russian Ambassador Boris Gryzlov.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry emphasized the special significance of the fact that the country received partner status during Russia's chairmanship of the organization. The new status opens up broad opportunities for Belarus: permanent participation in special sessions of summits, meetings of foreign ministers and other ministerial-level events.

The partnership also involves involvement in the discussion of trade, national security issues and participation in the parliamentary forum. Belarus will be able to join the final documents of BRICS, which will strengthen the influence of the association in the international arena and expand its geographical representation.