Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Saad said that China’s proposal in 2017 to create a BRICS Plus platform, which was aimed at enhancing cooperation with other emerging markets and developing countries, has opened “new space for new countries to join the bloc.”

The benefits of China’s proposal became evident when new countries joined BRICS, while more than 30 other countries have either formally applied for or expressed interest in its membership, he added.

The Egyptian official attributed the mechanism’s success in attracting more countries to the reliability of the leading BRICS members, especially China.

He noted that the values upheld by BRICS resonate with countries in the Global South, emphasizing China’s leadership in areas such as economy, finance, good governance, and multilateralism characterized by equity and justice.

“China is believed to be the true and trusted voice of developing countries and emerging markets,” he said.

Among other achievements, BRICS has established two important cooperation mechanisms: the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA). The latter provides support for countries facing financial emergencies.

“All these arrangements, meetings, and summits provide an institutional framework for member states to promote coordination and interaction,” Saad said.

Saad cited Egypt as an example of the countries that benefited from their interaction with BRICS before officially joining it. He stressed Egypt’s participation in BRICS summits since 2017, its membership in the NDB, and its enhanced cooperation with China, Russia, and India in several sectors.

He said the BRICS spirit reflects the principles that China and other founding countries have long championed, adding that the group was established in a world marked by unfairness and contradictions.

Saad perceived the growing number of requests for joining BRICS as a sign of resentment over the Western hegemony, hypocrisy, double standards, and disregard for multilateralism and UN principles.

“Each society has its heritage, culture, and traditions that should be respected. So, it is not logical anymore when the West believes it can monopolize global economic or financial order,” he said.

Looking ahead to the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia on Oct. 22-24, Saad expressed optimism that it would carry out new initiatives or plans to promote world justice.

Zukiswa Roboji, a researcher at Walter Sisulu University in South Africa, made the remarks in a recent interview with Xinhua ahead of the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, from Oct. 22 to 24.

“BRICS has undoubtedly made notable strides in recent years,” said Roboji. “One of the most significant achievements is expanding the group to include more nations, showcasing its growing appeal and relevance in a shifting geopolitical landscape.”

Roboji said the BRICS mechanism offers emerging economies easier access to financial resources and better opportunities for trade, investment and development.

The expert noted that the New Development Bank has funded critical infrastructure projects in Global South countries, helping them address pressing development challenges. She said this has empowered those countries by giving them access to much-needed funding while allowing them to maintain greater independence over their own development paths.

BRICS represents a shift toward multipolarity, appealing to nations seeking to diversify relations and reduce reliance on Western powers, according to Roboji.

Its commitment to multilateralism and global governance reform “aligns with the interests of emerging economies aiming to have a stronger voice in international decision-making,” said Roboji.

“Additionally, BRICS focuses on cooperation in technology, energy and climate change, making it an attractive partner for countries seeking sustainable growth while addressing global challenges,” she said.

As the group expands, she added, “its potential to reshape global economic and political dynamics continues to draw interest from nations looking for strategic alignment beyond the traditional power centers.”

In this context, Roboji explained, BRICS has become an increasingly important platform for Global South countries.

BRICS has increasingly extended its outreach to African nations, facilitating investments and partnerships in sectors like energy, infrastructure and technology, she said.

“For instance, the Belt and Road Initiative, supported by BRICS cooperation, has led to significant infrastructure development in African countries,” said Roboji. “This partnership boosts Africa’s economic growth and reduces its dependency on Western aid and investment, allowing African nations to negotiate more equitable terms and foster South-South cooperation.”

The expert said that BRICS has provided concrete benefits to Global South countries by fostering unity, enhancing their representation in global governance, and promoting more just and sustainable development pathways.

“Through economic initiatives, advocacy for institutional reform, and principled stands on sovereignty and non-interference, BRICS has become an essential platform for addressing the aspirations and challenges of the Global South,” Roboji said.

The newly expanded group is expected to strengthen cooperation among nations of the Global South and advance efforts to face those challenges and improve global governance toward greater equity and inclusiveness.

BRICS is not merely a political or economic cooperation mechanism but a platform for diverse nations to work together on common goals of development and prosperity. Its expansion reflects the consensus within the Global South that a wider array of voices must be included in addressing the complex issues facing the world today.

This inclusive approach offers a valuable complement to existing global institutions. While organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank remain crucial, BRICS brings new energy and perspectives by prioritizing the needs and aspirations of the Global South.

A key contribution of BRICS lies in its efforts to advance inclusive economic globalization. For decades, the benefits of global economic growth have disproportionately flowed to the West, leaving much of the developing world on the margins. Closer and enlarged BRICS cooperation promises to rebalance this dynamic by promoting investment, infrastructure development, and trade that align with the specific priorities of the Global South.

The expansion of BRICS further reinforces its commitment to inclusiveness by bringing in new members from diverse political and economic backgrounds, ensuring that underrepresented regions have a greater voice in global affairs.

BRICS’ dedication to inclusiveness, common development, and shared progress also demonstrates a commitment to strengthening multilateralism at a time when global cooperation is in dire need. As geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties grow, the ability of diverse nations to come together and find common ground is more important than ever.

Since its inception, BRICS has prioritized open dialogue, consensus-building, and mutual respect, principles essential for addressing complex global challenges such as climate change, public health crises, and sustainable development. As the BRICS family is growing bigger, this collaborative approach not only deepens trust among member nations but also ensures that their solutions meet the needs and aspirations of the Global South.

As BRICS grows, it plays a more critical role in fostering more inclusive and equitable global governance. In a world that increasingly demands cooperation, the expanded BRICS offers a vision grounded in the belief that common development and sustainable progress require collaboration among nations, large and small.

As the challenges of the 21st century become more intertwined, the world needs platforms like BRICS that bring more nations together to figure out feasible solutions and build a sustainable future for all.

Commenting on this summit, Al Jazeera said that leading countries of the Global South are looking for “a greater say in a global order dominated by the West.” Steven Gruzd, an analyst at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said: “It does reflect on the growing assertiveness and confidence of the BRICS grouping, not waiting for the West.”

BRICS is an important force in shaping the international landscape. Advancing a more just and equitable international order has been a consistent theme in Xi’s remarks on BRICS cooperation.

Effective coordination between BRICS members and other Global South countries is “adding more bricks to the global governance architecture,” said Wang Lei, the Chinese expert with Beijing Normal University.

The New Development Bank (NDB) exemplifies this effort. “The establishment of the bank serves as a beneficial supplement and improvement to the existing financial system,” Xi said, “which can encourage deeper reflection and more active reforms in the global financial system.”

During a meeting with Dilma Rousseff, former Brazilian President and incumbent NDB chief, in Beijing in 2023, Xi called on the NDB to help with the modernization of more developing countries. Rousseff shares Xi’s vision. “It is a vision that we don’t want BRICS to speak just for a few countries. What we want is for most countries to be part of BRICS,” she told Xinhua.

As Xi has observed, strengthening global governance is the right choice if the international community intends to share development opportunities and tackle global challenges.

“Economically, non-Western nations — with BRICS at the vanguard — are pushing the globe into a new reality: An emerging economic, social, and monetary status quo that is upending what the world has accepted as normal for nearly eight decades,” Jeff D. Opdyke, a global investment expert, has observed.

To Guan Zhaoyu, a research fellow with the Eurasian Studies Institute at Renmin University of China, BRICS cooperation “is neither anti-Western nor aimed at overthrowing the existing global order, but rather constructively reforming its unfair aspects to give more opportunities to the developing world.”

Xi maintains that development is an inalienable right of all countries, not a privilege of a few countries. Under his grand vision to build a community with a shared future for mankind, China has been joining hands with other developing countries in advancing their respective modernization.

China will always be a member of the Global South and the developing world, Xi has said on various occasions.

“President Xi has sent out a very clear message: China will unite with other emerging markets and developing countries in the process of global modernization and make sure no one is left behind,” said Guan.

“Measured by GDP, the BRICS countries have already surpassed the G7 in importance,” said the former Brazilian president.

BRICS is an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, five major emerging markets with considerable economic potential. Other than the countries that became new full members on Jan. 1, 2024, over 30 countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have either formally applied for or expressed interest in its membership, while many other developing countries are seeking deeper cooperation with the group.

The BRICS countries have realized that it is very important for emerging and developing countries to have proper mechanisms and instruments, thus the NDB and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement were established, Rousseff said.

During the bloc’s sixth summit in Fortaleza, Brazil in July 2014, leaders of the initial five countries witnessed the signing of the Agreement on the New Development Bank.

The NDB is designed to guarantee much-needed investments in infrastructure, such as in logistics and digital areas, in social infrastructure, like school and university structures, as well as in science, technology and innovation, and also in health, she said.

The NDB serves as a significant platform for international cooperation that transcends the territorial boundaries, which not only amplifies the voices of BRICS countries but also represents the shared aspirations of other nations, she added.

Headquartered in Shanghai, the NDB was jointly established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in 2014 to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS member nations and other emerging market economies and developing countries.

In 2021, the bank started expanding its membership with Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and Egypt as new members.

The NDB has, since its launch, invested nearly 35 billion U.S. dollars in sectors such as clean energy and energy efficiency, transportation infrastructure, water resources and sanitation, and digital infrastructure, playing a positive role in improving global economic governance.

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