KARACHI, Pakistan 

Afghanistan’s interim administration is seeking to join the BRICS economic forum, a Taliban official said on Wednesday. 

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is interested in participating in the upcoming BRICS forum meeting and has shared its request with the host country in this regard,” said Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban government, in a video statement ahead of the group’s summit in Russia. 

“Countries with major resources and the world’s biggest economies are associated with the BRICS forum, especially Russia, India, and China,” he added.

Currently, he went on to say, Kabul has “good” economic ties and commercial exchanges with the three countries.

“We are keen to expand our relations and participate in the economic forums of the BRICS,” Fitrat said.

The Heads of States Summit of the forum that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa will be held on Oct. 22-24 in Russia’s southwestern Kazan city.

There was no immediate reaction to Kabul’s remarks from the group recently expanded by including Iran, the UAE, Egypt and Ethiopia.

BRICS, founded in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, added South Africa in 2011, with its acronym formed from the first letters of the member countries' names.

In December 2023, several more countries joined, but the group decided to keep the name BRICS.