In the latest BRICS Summit, this economic alliance has officially expanded its reach by including 13 countries as new partners. This significant step marks an extension of BRICS’ influence, particularly in Southeast Asia, with the addition of Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Through its official account on the social media platform X, BRICS announced on October 24 that its partnership now includes 13 additional countries. Alongside the Southeast Asian nations, countries like Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Turkey, Uganda, and Uzbekistan have also joined as BRICS partners.
Founded in 2006 with initial members Brazil, Russia, India, and China, the group has seen substantial expansion. South Africa joined in 2010, and this year, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates became full members.
This increasingly inclusive BRICS membership reflects the group’s growing economic influence. BRICS members collectively contribute over USD 28.5 trillion to the global economy, representing about 28% of the world’s total GDP. The 15th annual BRICS Summit was held in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24.
BRICS Membership: Partner vs. Full Member
It is important to emphasize the significant difference between full membership and partner status in the BRICS framework. Full members have full voting rights in decision-making, full participation in all bloc activities, and full commitment to the goals and principles of BRICS.
In contrast, BRICS partners have a more limited involvement, with selective participation in certain initiatives, and they may continue to participate in other international initiatives without full commitment to BRICS.
Nevertheless, partnership status can be seen as a first step toward full membership, providing an opportunity for partner countries to demonstrate their commitment to the bloc and meet the necessary criteria for future formal membership.
Expanding Membership: BRICS Pushes Economic Shift
Indeed, membership expansion was a major focus of this year's BRICS summit. During last year's meeting, the bloc successfully invited several new countries to officially join.
Over the past two years, BRICS has shown remarkable growth momentum. Through various initiatives, BRICS aims to expand its global influence and offer an alternative to the existing economic system.
One of the main focuses of BRICS is to reduce dependence on the US dollar through a process of de-dollarization. A key strategy for strengthening BRICS' position is to expand its membership to include more countries that share its vision of creating a more inclusive and sustainable global economic order.
In addition, BRICS is actively promoting the use of local currencies in trade transactions between member countries, thereby reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar. With exclusive partners, BRICS continues to expand its network of economic cooperation and increase its influence on the global stage.
