Originally published August 24, 2023 7:17 am PDT
In a significant move that will reshape the global political and economic landscape, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) nations announced the inclusion of six new members from 2024.
Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are the new nations poised to join the collective, according to Daily Maverick.
The announcement was made by the chair president of BRICS, Cyril Ramaphosa, at the Summit’s culmination held at the Sandton Convention Centre.
He said, “We have decided to invite the Argentine Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to become full members of BRICS.”
Emphasizing the positive response from prospective nations, he added that the “membership will take effect from 1 January 2024. We value the interest of other countries in building a partnership with BRICS.”
To strategize on the expansion, BRICS leaders have instructed their foreign ministers to devise a partner country model.
They are expected to draft a list of potential partner countries and present their findings at the subsequent summit.
Interestingly, each member nation had its preferences, Daily Maverick notes.
China strongly backed the inclusion of Iran and Saudi Arabia.
South Africa’s top pick was Egypt.
Meanwhile, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was in favor of inviting their close neighbor, Argentina.
Reflecting on the expanded bloc’s capabilities, Da Silva commented on the potential benefits, “The addition of these countries has increased the BRICS global PPP to 37%.”
He believes that the expansion won’t dilute BRICS’s influence.
Rather, it will bolster its ability to devise innovative solutions to global issues.
Echoing Da Silva’s sentiment, Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned, “Let me assure all the new Brics members that we continue with our mission to expand the bloc.”
He also lauded Ramaphosa for successfully overseeing the planning and execution of the summit.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also weighed in, terming the inclusion of new members as “historic” and highlighting the unified ambitions of the global south.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi foresees these additions as pivotal to solidifying BRICS’s standing, asserting that the new members will undeniably fortify BRICS as a robust organization.
