During a courtesy call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim discussed Malaysia’s potential application to join the BRICS group. Made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates, BRICS is a powerful geopolitical bloc seen as a rival to the G7. Anwar believes that Malaysia’s membership in BRICS could bring about significant benefits and strengthen international collaboration between the two nations.
The conversation also touched on areas for enhanced bilateral cooperation, such as investment, trade, science, agriculture, defense, education, tourism, and culture. Additionally, Anwar and Lavrov discussed pressing global issues, including the situation in Palestine, demonstrating their joint commitment to tackling global challenges and promoting international cooperation.