Following the emergent success of the BRICS bloc over the last two years, 40 nations are reportedly now seeking alliance entry in 2024. Indeed, Russian Federation Council Committee on International Affairs head Girgory Karasin confirmed the number in a recent briefing, according to reports.
Additionally, Karasin confirmed that the number of countries seeking to join the collective is only increasing with every passing month. With the annual summit set to take place in October of this year, there are expectations that the alliance will introduce its second expansion effort in as many years.
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BRICS Alliance Sees 40 Nations Seeking to Join
Throughout the last two years, the BRICS alliance has enjoyed a rather meteoric rise in prevalence. The collective has opted to increase focus on unilateral integration in the areas of trade, thereby lessening the bloc’s financial reliance on Western powers. An act that was conducted in direct response to Western sanctions placed on Russia in 2020.
Now, that growth has further inspired a plethora of nations to seek potential entry into the growing bloc. According to Russia’s Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Head, the BRICS grouping has 40 nations now seeking to join the alliance in 2024.
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“More than 40 states are applying for BRICS Membership, and every month the number of such countries is increasing,” Karasin said. “This shows that such a free, flexible form of interaction through BRICS is very attractive,” he added. The increasing interest has coincided with expectations of additional expansion plans being enacted at the bloc’s 2024 summit.
Last year, the alliance made waves with its six-nation expansion plan. Specifically, it welcomed Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Argentina. Of those countries, only Argentina has rejected membership on the grounds of altered perspectives through a regime change.
Alternatively, the other five countries have opted to join the growing group. Subsequently, there is the expectation that the bloc will enact a similar six-nation expansion invitation at this year’s summit. That is confirmed more by the influx of interest that has been gathered by other countries.