"The ball is in #BRICS’ court. Apparently, this year we will see new regional players in the group, including Colombia and Mexico. We’re in the thick of the battle for Latin-Caribbean America with all key figures lined up for a strategic attack and positional maneuvering," Stepanov suggested.

"As we begin 2025, we have a number of important visits planned, including high-level meetings that we will be working on," the diplomat said.

"There are many such areas. We already have an important list of BRICS achievements, I would like to mention Russia's successful chairship with the summit held in Kazan. I was in Ekaterinburg, where Russian representatives reported on their work within the framework of the bloc during 2024. Important meetings were held. In my opinion, cooperation in a number of areas could be further strengthened for the benefit of all #BRICS countries, because it includes 10 members and several partners. We are growing, expanding, dynamically developing. Therefore, we can benefit even more from a wider membership. The most important areas, in my opinion, are science, technology, innovation, education, environmental protection. In short, areas in which we have already advanced far but can go even further."

"In continuation of this objective, I request the Industry and Trade Ministry <…> and participants of the National Technology Initiative to organise an international forum on unmanned systems as early as this year. I suggest inviting scientists, designers and entrepreneurs from other countries in order to have a detailed discussion on cooperation in these promising areas," Putin said.

“As far as BRICS is concerned, I hope that the way will be cleared and that the reality will be recognized – Venezuela is part of BRICS,” Maduro said.

"This is a secure foothold in the implementation of trade and economic interests. For example, we have recently held talks with the bank established in BRICS to discuss the implementation of investment projects. We have high hopes for the implementation of projects in Belarus or with the participation of Belarus abroad with the help of this bank," Maksim Ryzhenkov said.

"We speak together on such international issues, where the voice of Belarus may not have been heard, but it becomes so with the scale of such an organization. This also helps us strive for the level of such countries as China, India, Brazil, and Russia," the minister added.

"I would like to thank you again for your support for Russia’s #BRICS chairmanship. We are coordinating our steps on other multilateral platforms as well: the United Nations and its Security Council, the SCO, the G20, and APEC. We jointly press for building a fairer multipolar world order. We work to ensure indivisible security in the Eurasian space and in the world as a whole," Putin said.

"We widely celebrated the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. During our visit to China in May, we launched a large-scale project of cross years of culture. Useful talks took place in July on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s summit in Astana," Putin said.

"As practice shows, BRICS attracts an increasing number of supporters and like-minded countries who call for cooperation based on respect, pragmatism, solidarity and consensus. <...> During its chairship, Russia was able to promote a constructive agenda focused on ensuring equitable universal development," the diplomat noted.

"BRICS’ doors remain open to the independent nations that seek to realise their potential and build an equitable architecture of international relations," the envoy concluded.

"We have joined a platform or an association of countries that are highly industrialised, some of which have evolved from similar circumstances to where we are now," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Cooperation John Mulimba stated on Friday.

"BRICS offers a significant opportunity to learn from their technological advancements and innovations, including the use of information and communication technology as a tool for societal transformation," he added.