South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday announced that the BRICS grouping has reached a consensus to include six countries including Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Ramaphosa, president of the host nation, announced the decision while delivering the Johannesburg Declaration during a joint press conference.
“BRICS Leaders have reached a consensus on the expansion guidelines for admission to BRICS. The following countries will become full members of BRICS starting from 1 January 2024: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE," stated the official BRICS Summit’s social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter.
#BRICS | BRICS Leaders have reached consensus on the expansion guidelines of admission to BRICS. The following countries will be full members of BRICS with effect from 1 January 2024:Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.#BRICSSummit2023
— BRICSza (@BRICSza) August 24, 2023
BRICS, which was established in 2009 with the inclusion of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, is undergoing its second expansion. South Africa joined the bloc in 2010. The BRICS coalition constitutes approximately 40 percent of the global population and contributes over a quarter of the worldwide GDP.
News agency Reuters reported that BRICS faced last-minute negotiations at a leader’s summit aimed to enhance the influence of the “Global South" on the global stage.
#BRICSza | BRICS Leaders have adopted the Johannesburg II Declaration of the XV BRICS Summit.#BRICSSummit2023#BRICS pic.twitter.com/jWWIAcyAWi— BRICSza (@BRICSza) August 24, 2023
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India will continue to build consensus for those countries wishing to join BRICS. “Expansion and modernisation of BRICS is a message that global institutions must mold themselves to changing times; an example of reform for other global institutions," he said.
The proposed expansion of BRICS, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, aims to allow interested nations to join and establish a counterbalance to Western dominance.
Disagreements among the leaders over the extent and pace of expansion have been a central topic at the Johannesburg summit. Earlier, South Africa’s foreign minister, Naledi Pandor, announced that BRICS leaders have reached a consensus on expansion mechanisms.
Despite aspirations to unite and amplify the voices of developing economies, the diverse economic scales and foreign policy objectives of BRICS countries have posed challenges to consensus-based decision-making.