MORE than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining the BRICS bloc as revealed by South Africa’s envoy.
The BRICS group, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was established in 2009 to counterbalance the influence of advanced economies.
With formal negotiations for expansion starting last year, the growing interest from numerous nations signifies the potential for enhanced collaboration and bolstered political influence in global affairs.
Anil Sooklal, South Africa’s ambassador to BRICS, stated that 22 countries have formally approached the bloc, and an equal number of informal approaches have been received.
Among those interested in joining are Argentina, Bangladesh, The UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and some European nations.
The expansion plans have gained support from China and South Africa, but Russia’s alignment is expected, while Brazil and India have expressed concerns about potential power declines.
Despite BRICS members constituting 42 percent of the global population, they only hold 15 percent of the voting power at the World Bank and IMF.
The upcoming BRICS conference hosted by South Africa is set to address the expansion topic and its implications, with discussions on membership dynamics expected to be prominent on the agenda.
The organization’s move towards expanding could mark a significant shift in its overall political influence and partnership in the international arena.
South Africa is set to host a BRICS leaders’ summit in Johannesburg and will be attended by top leaders of the bloc.
Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin on the other hand, will reportedly attend the summit by video call, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attending the event in person.
