BRICS continues to make its mark on the international scene by welcoming new members to its club. At the recent BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the accession of six new countries to the group: Iran, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
This decision marks an important step in the ambitions of the BRICS, which seeks to assert its independence from Western countries and reduce the hegemony of the dollar in the global economy. By welcoming these six new members, the BRICS club will significantly increase its surface area, now representing 36% of the world’s surface area, more than double the G7.
In terms of population, BRICS will also be strong with around 3.6 billion people, representing 45% of the world’s population. This expansion will also allow BRICS to consolidate their position as holders of crucial natural resources. The group will represent 44.35% of the world’s oil reserves and has a significant share of the world’s production of metals needed for high technologies.
However, despite this expansion, BRICS still faces challenges. BRICS exports represent a lower share than the G7, indicating that these countries need to strengthen their competitiveness on the global stage. Furthermore, it is essential that BRICS manage to coordinate their policies and overcome differences to fully exercise their influence on the international stage.
The accession of these six new countries to BRICS testifies to the emergence of a new world order, in which emerging countries play an increasingly important role. The BRICS continue to display their ambitions and strengthen their position on the world stage, thus challenging the hegemony of Western countries. It will be interesting to follow the evolution of this group and see how it shapes the global economy and relations between countries in the future.
In conclusion, the accession of Iran, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to the BRICS club marks an important step in the emergence of this set of emerging countries. The BRICS are thus strengthening their influence and challenging the hegemony of Western countries, displaying their ambitions for a more balanced world economy and greater autonomy. The future of BRICS will be crucial for the evolution of international relations and for the creation of a new world order.