15th BRICS summit to take place in South Africa's Durban in late August this year

The foreign ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, and China met for the first time on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in 2006, kicking off BRIC cooperation. Later in April 2011, South Africa participated, for the first time, in the 3rd BRICS Summit held in Sanya, China.

The announcement was apparently made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister of the State of Eritrea Osman Saleh in Massawa, Eritrea on January 26.

Calling BRICS a manifestation of global multi-polarity, Lavrov said that strengthening regional identity in the developing regions of the world does not mean that multi-polarity is not happening in a global dimension.

"This organisation unites five countries, with more than 12 others showing an interest in joining it. Developing links between BRICS and other countries will be a central topic at the upcoming summit of the five which is to take place in August in Durban, South Africa. The clock of multi-polar history is ticking in the right direction," Lavrov said.

Since 2009, the BRICS leaders have convened 14 formal meetings and 9 informal meetings.

Earlier in 2013, the fifth annual BRICS summit was held in Durban, South Africa. It was attended by the head of state or heads of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

In June 2009, the BRIC leaders held their first meeting in Russia, upgrading BRIC cooperation to Summit level.

The BRIC leaders met for the first time in Russia in June 2009, elevating BRIC cooperation to Summit status. (ANI)