More nations are showing increasing interest in joining BRICS, according to recent statistics ahead of the upcoming BRICS summit scheduled for end of October 2024.
According to Paul Frimpong, Founder and Executive Director of the Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory, more than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, indicating the attractiveness of the bloc.
Frimpong said:
“BRICS attracts a diverse group of potential members because of its primary-driven shared desire to create a more equitable global landscape that many countries believe is currently biased against them,”
He added that the attractiveness of BRICS from a diverse group of potential members is primarily driven by a shared desire for a more equitable and balanced global landscape that many ‘believe is currently biased against them.’
One of the reasons countries are interested in joining the bloc, according to Frimpong, is a push for a Global South collective voice in international forums such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said member countries have a chance to have a greater influence on global issues and policies while being able to push back on the economic dominance of the West.
All of this comes on the back of the 6th BRICS International Municipal Forum which took place in Moscow between August 27-28 2024 where members reiterated their commitment to a ‘new world order.’
During the meeting, which was attended by representatives drawn mainly from the ‘developing world,’ it was announced by the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, that membership ascension has been suspended. Countries aligning with BRICS will simply be classified into supporting ‘partners’ group of BRICS.
During the two-day meetings, several sections moderated by experienced experts closely examined practical aspects of geopolitics, possible economic opportunities, social and cultural dimensions in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as other parts of the world. But the most significant feature, majority of participants came from Russia’s ‘friendly’ countries, mostly the Global South.
The emerging new world also dominated the discussions, that many countries have expressed their preparedness for entering into the new global stage. In short, the general sentiments expressing the aspiration to form a multipolar world, said one journalist present at the event.
Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, said:
“I will say without exaggeration that today, BRICS acts as an ‘agent’ of the interests of the entire non-Western world. The decision to expand the association, made in Johannesburg in August 2023 when our leaders agreed to accept new participants, was a truly breakthrough achievement. From January 1, 2024, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia gained their full rights as the members of our association.
These countries have significant economic potential, play a significant role not only in their region, but also in the international arena and, most importantly, share the basic values of the BRICS that unite us, including the spirit of solidarity, equality, mutual respect, openness and consensus…”
Originally, BRICS included Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the association now includes 10 countries. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates joined BRICS as full members in January 2024 signifying a growing authority of the association and its role in international affairs. It portrays its strength in the evolutionary multi-polar processes of the century.
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Several countries across the world have shown interest in joining the organization. In Africa, these include:
- Senegal
- Zimbabwe
- Tunisia
- Sudan
- Algeria, and
- Senegal
Economically, the expansion stimulates growth and stability through enhanced trade and investment among member states, which collectively possess substantial economic potential.
As an alternative to the IMF and the World Bank, traditionally dominated by the West, BRICS members have developing the New Development Bank which provides financial support to member countries in an effort to reduce their vulnerability to Western economic policies and thus create a multipolar world that reflects the interests of emerging economies.
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“By providing a platform for the Global South to voice its concerns and priorities, BRICS contributes to the creation of a new world order that is more reflective of the diverse economic and political realities of the modern world,” Frimpong said.
“This shift toward a more balanced and inclusive global governance system has the potential to address long-standing inequalities and promote a more just and equitable international order.
The fact that many developing countries are joining in a big number is sending a signal that something might have been wrong with the current world system and that different ways of doing things must be found.”
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