Brasilia, Apr 8 (IANS): Brazil has announced it will official rejoin the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), from which it withdrew in 2019.

"As Brazil resumes its main international alliances, it will once again join the Union of South American Nations," the country's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It added that the measure will take effect on May 6 and "places the country back in the group created during President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's second administration", reports Xinhua news agency.

"Brazil ratifies its commitment to the consolidation of South America as a zone of peace and cooperation, in line with ... promoting regional integration," the Ministry noted.

"UNASUR's revitalisation and updating will be a collective process through dialogue among all the countries of the region," it added.

UNASUR, established in 2008, is an intergovernmental regional organisation once comprised of 12 South American countries.

Besides Brazil, Argentina also formally withdrew from the regional organisation in April 2019.

After Uruguay's withdrawal from the organisation in 2020, only Guyana, Suriname, Bolivia and Venezuela remain in union.