The BRICS new members list is expected to expand further as Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to join the economic bloc right now. Zimbabwe has formally submitted its application and is currently awaiting feedback from existing member states of BRICS. The bloc now includes 11 full members following Indonesia’s addition in January 2025, and also multiple countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, with 23 nations having submitted official applications according to recent reports at the time of writing.
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Zimbabwe BRICS Membership Push Highlights Which Countries Want To Join
Zimbabwe Accelerates Application Process
Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, confirmed the country has formally approached all member states regarding the BRICS membership process. President Mnangagwa directly tasked the minister to oversee the Zimbabwe BRICS application process, and the country is now waiting for responses from the bloc’s members.
Professor Murwira stated:
“Zimbabwe is ready to integrate more deeply into the global community, and joining blocs such as BRICS is very important for us in expanding our economic involvement and integrating Zimbabwe into the global economy.”
The minister also said:
“We have written formally and we are awaiting feedback from our colleagues. I was directed by His Excellency, the President, to engage my counterparts in foreign affairs, and we have done so and continue to do so.”
During a visit to Moscow in March 2025, Murwira emphasized the strategic importance of the BRICS membership for Zimbabwe. He stated:
“BRICS is one of the most important platforms for economic cooperation that is based on principles of mutual respect and sovereign equality of nations. Zimbabwe would benefit from any system that respects these key principles of human interaction and human progress, and BRICS is one of them.”
Current Members And Expansion Candidates
The BRICS new members list currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and also Indonesia. Beyond these full members, multiple countries have applied to join the bloc. According to recent data, 23 nations have submitted official applications for BRICS membership, with top candidates including Bahrain, Malaysia, Turkey, and Vietnam, which countries want to join BRICS for various economic and also geopolitical reasons.
South African Minister Ronald Lamola has been advocating for increased African representation in the bloc, with Nigeria and Angola being considered as potential candidates for the next expansion round of the BRICS new members list. Partner countries that have accepted invitations include Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
Russia, South Africa, and Brazil have publicly pledged to support the Zimbabwe BRICS membership bid right now. Political analyst Methuseli Moyo said:
“Joining BRICS would entrench Zimbabwe’s trade and business ties with some of the fastest-growing economies in the world on more mutually beneficial terms. It would also enhance Zimbabwe’s influence on global political and trade issues through closer cooperation with BRICS member states.”
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Strategic Benefits For Zimbabwe
Analysts currently consider joining the bloc a strategic opportunity for Zimbabwe. The New Development Bank based in Shanghai would provide concessional financing for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the country. This offers an alternative to traditional Western-based financial institutions, and many analysts believe the Zimbabwe BRICS application will succeed because several current members already promise their support. The debate on which countries want to join BRICS keeps increasing, with more countries opting to get an alternative to the Western-dominated economic systems at the time of writing.
