With the BRICS bloc set to continue its expansion effort for the second consecutive year, a 7th major nation has applied to join the economic alliance in a single week. The influx of applications follows the bloc’s Foreign Minister Meeting earlier this month.
The most recent nation to share their intention to join the alliance was Venezuela. The country’s executive Vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, spoke on the matter. Rodriguez stated that the country was “on the doorstep of joining the BRIS group of nations,” during an economic seminar that was broadcast from Caracas.
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BRICS Sees 7 Countries Apply to Join in 2024
During its 2023 annual summit, the BRICS bloc shocked the geopolitical sector by inviting six nations to join its grouping. Of those six, the collective saw Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) accept. The response would bring its total number of member countries to nine.
That does not appear to be an isolated incident, as the bloc is poised to expand once again this year. Moreover, the BRICS alliance has seen 7 major nations apply to join the alliance in a single week. Those countries include Thailand, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Colombia, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Venezuela.
Speaking on the prospect of joining the bloc, Venezuela’s vice president said: “The turning point of the new world order’s creation has arrived.” Moreover, she noted the desire to see the South American country “becoming a part of the new geopolitical reality.”
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Pakistan has also recently spoken on a potential BRICS inclusion for the first time Thursday. Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed became the country’s first official to share the nation’s “hopes to join BRICS” and the emerging association.
Russia and China have led the way in increasing BRICS prevalence in Asia. Both President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited several Southeast Asian countries to encourage greater ties.
Those meetings and the BRICS foreign minister meetings in June saw Thailand and Malaysia announce plans to officially join the bloc. The countries should be heavily factored in, as the grouping is likely to announce its second expansion in as many years during its 2024 annual summit this October.
