SAINT PETERSBURG.- The members of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have the potential to add more members, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today during the plenary session of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (Spief).
In his speech, Putin promoted the development capabilities in the countries of the global South in the face of the hegemony of the North.
“It is expected that by 2030 the volume of traffic along international transport corridors through Russian territory will increase compared to 2021,” he said.
He stated that it is necessary to activate even more financial mechanisms and payment schemes through the use of national currencies.
“We will continue with improvements in the security and efficiency of transactions in national currencies, including through the Brics,” he added.
Putin highlighted internal progress in the Russian economy, as well as the possibilities of increasing the Russian minimum wage by 48 percent by 2030 to 35 thousand rubles (equivalent to about $400).
Along with the Russian leader, the presidents of Bolvia and Zimbabwe, Luis Alberto Arce and Emmerson Mnangagwa, respectively, are in the plenary session as special guests.
From June 5 to 8, Spief takes place in the city of Saint Petersburg with the presence of more than 17,000 representatives from 136 countries.
