BRICS family grows to eleven
The 15th BRICS summit, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 22 to 25, 2023, was a landmark event in the history of the group of five emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The summit witnessed the adoption of the Johannesburg II Declaration, which reaffirmed the commitment of the BRICS countries to multilateralism, cooperation and development, as well as the expansion of the group to include more developing countries.
The Johannesburg II Declaration highlighted the achievements of the BRICS cooperation in various fields, such as trade, finance, health, education, science and technology, energy, agriculture and security. It also outlined the priorities and action plans for the future, such as strengthening the New Development Bank (NDB), the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), the BRICS Business Council and the BRICS Civil Forum. The declaration also expressed support for the reform of the United Nations and its agencies, especially the Security Council, to reflect the realities of the 21st century.
One of the most significant outcomes of the summit was the agreement on mechanisms for considering new members for the BRICS group. According to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who chaired the summit, six countries have been invited to join the BRICS family from January 1, 2024: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The expansion process is expected to accelerate in the coming years, with the aim of bringing more voices and representation from the Global South into the BRICS platform. The expansion could also enhance the global influence and clout of the BRICS group, which accounts for 26% of the world economy and 42% of the world population.
The summit also witnessed several bilateral and multilateral meetings among the BRICS leaders and other invited guests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India met with President Xi Jinping of China on the sidelines of the summit and discussed ways to improve bilateral relations and resolve border issues. President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil met with President Vladimir Putin of Russia and discussed cooperation in energy, defense and space sectors. President Ramaphosa also hosted a meeting of African leaders with the BRICS leaders to explore opportunities for partnership and investment.
The 15th BRICS summit was a successful demonstration of the solidarity and vision of the BRICS countries in addressing global challenges and advancing common interests. The summit also marked a new phase in the evolution of the BRICS group, as it opened its doors to more developing countries and strengthened its role as a champion of the Global South.