With the BRICS alliance poised for further expansion in its second consecutive year, the bloc is witnessing an unprecedented surge in membership applications, with a seventh nation expressing interest in just one week. This development follows the Foreign Minister Meeting held earlier this month, where strategies for growth were discussed.
Venezuela is the latest nation to signal its intention to join the BRICS coalition. Delcy Rodriguez, the Vice President of Venezuela, announced during an economic seminar in Caracas that the country is "on the doorstep of joining the BRICS group of nations."
The BRICS bloc—an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has already seen significant membership growth. At its 2023 annual summit, six nations were invited to join, of which Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) accepted, bringing the total number of member countries to nine.
This trend of expansion appears to be continuing with renewed vigor in 2024. In just one week, major nations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Colombia, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Venezuela have applied for membership. This surge is indicative of the bloc’s growing influence and appeal on the global stage.
Venezuela’s Vice President Rodriguez emphasized the significance of this moment, stating, "The turning point of the new world order’s creation has arrived," underscoring Venezuela’s ambition to become part of what she referred to as the "new geopolitical reality."
BRICS, initially formed in 2009 as BRIC and later including South Africa in 2010 to form BRICS, has traditionally focused on fostering economic cooperation and development among emerging economies. Its recent expansion efforts signal an increasing role in global geopolitics.
For instance, Pakistan made its first public declaration of intention to join BRICS, with Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed articulating the nation’s "hopes to join BRICS" and align with its vision.
Russia and China are spearheading efforts to bolster BRICS’ influence in Asia. Both President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang have engaged with leaders in Southeast Asia to deepen regional ties. Following these diplomatic engagements and the June BRICS foreign ministerial meetings, Thailand and Malaysia announced their plans to officially join the bloc.
All eyes are on the upcoming 2024 annual summit in October, where the BRICS bloc is anticipated to formalize its second expansion, further solidifying its role in the reconfiguration of global economic and political power dynamics.
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— Source: Watcher.Guru
