[Title] Media statement by the President of Russia at the BRICS Summit (President of Russia Vladimir Putin)

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President [Cyril Ramaphosa], friends, colleagues,

I would like to join the other participants in today's event in thanking our South African friends for their contribution to our joint efforts, primarily in terms of coordinating the declaration.

I must point out that this was quite a challenging task, as it turns out, and President Ramaphosa has demonstrated outstanding diplomatic agility and skill in coordinating all the positions, including those dealing with the BRICS expansion.

Our Brazilian colleague, President Lula da Silva, has just highlighted several issues that matter the most for all of us. I believe that a single settlement currency definitely deserves our attention. This is a complex issue but we have to move towards resolving it in one way or another. The second issue deals with carrying out economic transactions between our countries.

I would like to congratulate the countries joining BRICS which will be able to fully contribute to its work effective next year. I want to assure all of my colleagues that we will continue the initiative we started today, to expand the influence of BRICS in the world, by establishing practical cooperation with new members and with the parties collaborating with us in the outreach format, as well as with our partners who assign importance to cooperation with BRICS and would like to work with us.

We have been treating this matter with a lot of attention and respect and will undoubtedly embark on this effort, while maintaining contacts with all of our partners and seeking their advice on ways to proceed with this undertaking. We will devise regulations during our joint discussions at the level of foreign ministers, other agencies in order to ensure that the global role and standing of BRICS keeps growing.

Thank you very much.