More than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining the BRICS group of nations, South Africa’s top diplomat in charge of relations with the bloc said on Thursday. Aside from the 22 countries that had formally asked to join, there was “an equal number of countries that have informally expressed interest in becoming BRICS members … (including) all the major global south countries,” South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa Anil Sooklal said on Thursday. Nations such as Saudi Arabia and Iran have made official requests to join BRICS. Additionally, several other countries, including Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, ... (full story)