Sri Lanka seeks BRICS membership amid economic challenges

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA(AA) - Sri Lanka has formally decided to apply for BRICS membership, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath announced Monday.

Speaking to the diplomatic corps in the capital Colombo, Herath said the country will submit its membership request at the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, scheduled for Oct. 23-24.

Sri Lanka's secretary of foreign affairs will represent the nation at the summit, where Colombo hopes to gain support from existing BRICS members. Herath confirmed that Sri Lanka has already reached out to BRICS countries, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, to secure backing for its application.

“We consider BRICS to be an effective partnership to realize aspirations for mutually beneficial cooperation, peace, and development, through strengthened and inclusive multilateralism within the framework of the UN Charter,” Herath stated, according to a transcript from the Foreign Ministry.

The decision comes as Sri Lanka grapples with economic hardships and ongoing debt restructuring efforts, with parliamentary elections set for Nov. 14. As the island nation seeks to revive its economy, it views BRICS membership as a pathway to greater international support and cooperation.

Founded in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, BRICS expanded in 2011 with the addition of South Africa. Though several other nations joined in December 2023, the group retained its original acronym.

- Concerns over situation in Middle East

Herath also addressed Sri Lanka’s position on the escalating crisis in the Middle East, calling for an immediate ceasefire. “On the international front, we continue to remain highly concerned about the current global situation, particularly in the Middle East region,” he said.

Describing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as worsening daily, Herath expressed particular alarm over recent developments affecting Lebanon. He reiterated Sri Lanka’s call for “an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza” and endorsed a two-state solution that establishes “an independent, sovereign, and viable State of Palestine” along the 1967 borders, while also ensuring Israel's security.

Herath further regretted attacks that recently injured two Sri Lankan peacekeepers serving in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), calling for respect for UN personnel and premises. “We are proud of our peacekeepers who serve in several challenging UN missions,” he said. “It is important that all parties uphold their obligation to respect UN personnel and facilities.”