Saudi Arabia, UAE among six new countries invited to join BRICS

BRICS group invites Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, expanding influence and forging partnerships in global arena.

The BRICS consortium, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has unveiled a significant move by inviting six new countries to join its ranks. Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have received an invitation to become part of the bloc, which is known for championing the interests of the “Global South”. This expansion debate took center stage during the three-day BRICS summit held in Johannesburg.

While all existing BRICS members have expressed public support for enlarging the bloc, reports indicate differing opinions among leaders regarding the extent and speed of expansion. The expansion deliberations were notably led by China, backed by South Africa and Russia, which seeks to counterbalance its diplomatic isolation due to the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, who currently chairs the BRICS grouping, announced that these six nations have been invited to join in the initial phase of expansion. This new membership status is set to take effect from January 1, 2023.

Ramaphosa stated, “We have reached an agreement on the guiding principles, standards, criteria, and procedures for the BRICS expansion process. We have consensus on the first phase of this expansion process, and other phases will follow.”

Around two dozen nations formally applied to join BRICS, a collective representing 25% of the global economy and over three billion people. All six new invitees have inked agreements to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while India has refrained from becoming a part of it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India commended President Ramaphosa for a successful summit and affirmed India’s longstanding backing for BRICS expansion. Modi remarked that new members would invigorate BRICS’ collaborative endeavors and reinforce a multipolar world order. The prime minister saw the expansion and modernization of BRICS as a trailblazing initiative that could inspire reform in other 20th-century-established global institutions, a veiled reference to the demand for UN Security Council reforms.

The invited countries also reacted positively to the offer. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed excitement and the willingness to collaborate for a global order that is inclusive and prosperous. Meanwhile, an adviser to Iran’s president hailed the forthcoming BRICS membership as a diplomatic triumph for the Islamic Republic.

With this expansion, BRICS aims to consolidate its role as a major player in shaping global economic and political dynamics, while the newly invited members look forward to contributing their perspectives and collaborating within this influential platform.

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