The president of Argentina, Alberto Fernandez, called this Friday for the incorporation of his country to the BRICS group, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.    Photo: Crónica.

Buenos Aires, June 24 (RHC)-- The president of Argentina, Alberto Fernandez, asked this Friday for the incorporation of his country to the BRICS group, formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

"We aspire to be full members of this group of nations that already represents 42% of the world's population and 24% of the global gross product," said the president, while participating virtually in an extended meeting at the XIV BRICS Summit.

The Argentinean president described this group as "a platform with enormous capacities to discuss and implement an agenda for the future that will lead us to a better and fairer time," for which he insisted on adding Argentina to this space, to "provide its contributions."

In that sense, in his speech, he presented the qualities that Argentina has to be part of the BRICS: "We are safe and responsible food suppliers, recognized in the field of biotechnology and applied logistics technology.  This means that we are not only capable of producing and exporting food.  We also know how to provide services and train specialists so that other countries can increase their productive efficiency and thus improve the quality of life of their inhabitants."

He also said that the South American country has great energy resources. "We have the second world reserve of 'shale gas' and the fourth of 'shale oil.'an  Argentine and foreign companies not only exploit fossil energies in a non-conventional way, but also venture into the exploitation of lithium, green hydrogen and other renewable energies," he commented.

"Without designing an economic model that puts an end to financial exclusion, the possibility of building a more just and equitable world will end up being just a chimera," he emphasized.

He indicated that "the institutional and economic weight" of the BRICS "can become a factor of financial stability" and that the expansion of its New Development Bank "can be a useful instrument to strengthen national infrastructures."

In his speech, Fernandez proposed that it is time to promote the creation of an International Risk Rating Agency, "that puts in public hands what today is in the hands of private interests".

He also said that it is important to debate the guidelines that determine the general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) of the International Monetary Fund.  "The SDRs are also an essential tool for the necessary capitalization of the regional development banks," he said.

The President took the opportunity to thank the BRICS members for the support given to Argentina in its claim to "peacefully negotiate the Malvinas Question with the United Kingdom."

The XIV BRICS Summit, which virtually brings together the presidents of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, kicked off on Thursday. The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, is the president of this year's meeting.