Turkey has filed a formal request to join the BRICS group of emerging economies as it seeks to boost its international influence and forge new ties beyond its traditional Western allies, according to people familiar with the matter.
The view of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government is that the geopolitical center of gravity is shifting away from developed economies, and the country’s new diplomatic move reflects its ambitions to cultivate ties with all sides in a multipolar world while still meeting obligations as a core member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
According to leaks, circulated in the international media, Turkey submitted the request to join the BRICS a few months ago, mainly because of the … frustration prevailing in Ankara over the lack of progress in its decades-long effort to join the European Union.
Of course, experts believe that this move is also partly a result of rifts with other NATO members, since Turkey maintained close ties with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Officially, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the presidency of Turkey refused to comment on the information.
Russia and China
The BRICS group, named after Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, includes some of the largest emerging economies.
It gained four new members earlier this year when Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt joined its ranks. Saudi Arabia has been invited to participate, although the Kingdom has not yet done so.
Further enlargement of the group could be discussed during a summit in Kazan, Russia, to be held from October 22 to 24, the people said. Malaysia, Thailand and Turkey’s close ally Azerbaijan are among other countries reportedly keen to join.
BRICS wants to be the alternative to what its members see as Western-dominated institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. New members can potentially gain access to development bank financing, as well as expand their political and trade relationships.
BRICS expansion is primarily a goal of China, which is trying to strengthen its global influence by flirting with countries traditionally considered US allies.
Bazaar
Turkey has been in talks to join the EU since 2005, but has encountered a number of obstacles, including the country’s democratic deficit.
Turkey believes that joining the BRICS could help the country improve economic cooperation with Russia and China and become a trade “conduit” between the EU and Asia. It also aims to become a hub for natural gas exports from Russia and Central Asia.
The Erdogan government is trying to attract investment from Chinese electric car companies, which could potentially take advantage of Turkey’s customs union with the EU to boost their market access.
It is noted that the “bargain” is made clear by the recent moves of the Turkish leadership to revive the accession talks with the EU. This remains a “strategic goal”, Fidan said last week, in informal talks with his EU counterparts in which he participated Turkish Foreign Minister for the first time in five years.
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