8/24/2023-|Last update: 8/24/202312:40 AM (Mecca Time)
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced today, Thursday, that the BRICS group – which includes: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – has officially decided to invite Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to become full members of the group, and Tehran welcomed this step.
Ramaphosa explained that the accession of these countries will start from January 1, 2024, to join the group of emerging countries seeking to enhance their influence in the world.
In a joint press conference between the leaders of South Africa, Brazil, India, China and Russia, Ramaphosa confirmed the agreement to adopt the Johannesburg Declaration at the conclusion of the summit, stressing the need to resolve disputes by peaceful means.
The discussion on expanding the membership of the group topped the agenda of a three-day summit that ends today, Thursday.
Although the BRICS member states had previously expressed their support for the expansion of the bloc, there were divisions among the leaders regarding the number and speed of joining. But Ramaphosa said the group, which takes its decisions by consensus, has agreed on “guiding principles, criteria and procedures for the BRICS enlargement process”.
role and activation
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a video speech that continuing to expand the BRICS would activate the role of the bloc at the international level, considering that the issue of adopting a unified currency is still complex and needs further discussions.
For his part, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the expansion of BRICS strengthens the group and gives impetus to joint action.
As for Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, he stressed that the interest of other countries to join the BRICS group showed their importance in the efforts to establish a new global economic order.
“We will remain open to recruiting new candidates,” Lula told a press conference in Johannesburg.
In the first reactions to this step, an Iranian official said that Tehran considers its accession to the BRICS group “a strategic success for its foreign policy.”
Muhammad Jamshidi, political advisor to President Ebrahim Raisi, wrote on the X platform (formerly Twitter), “The permanent membership of the Global Emerging Economies Group is a historic event and a strategic success for the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic.”
The BRICS group seeks to transform into a global economic power along the lines of the G7 industrialized countries (Anatolia)
Summit and goals
It is noteworthy that nearly twenty countries have submitted an official request to join the group, which represents a quarter of the global economy, and more than three billion people.
From August 22 to 24, South Africa will host the 15th BRICS Summit, in an effort to consolidate its role in the global economic system, as a number of files are discussed in the presence of more than 40 heads of state and government, in addition to leaders of the BRICS countries.
Since its founding in 2009, the BRICS group of countries has sought to transform into a global economic power, similar to the G7 industrial countries.
The group – which includes powers of varying economic size and varying political system – shares an orientation towards an alternative to a world order dominated by Western powers, which better serves the interests of developing countries.
On the other hand, US officials ruled out the BRICS turning into a “geopolitical” rival for the United States, describing the bloc as, “a very diverse group of countries”, with friends and opponents.
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2023-08-24 09:12:59
