BRICS officially adds Nigeria, 12 other nations as partner countries

The BRICS alliance has added Nigeria among 13 new nations officially as partner countries, according to an announcement at the BRICS summit.

According to list of the countries published on its X handle, Nigeria, Algeria and Uganda are three African countries invited to join the bloc as partners. Other countries are Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

It is important to differentiate between BRICS members and BRICS partners. Unlike a BRICS partner, official members possess voting rights in bloc affairs; full participation in summits and meetings; and complete commitment and representation of the bloc.

BRICS partners are only allowed selective engagement and participation in BRICS affairs; as well as remaining participants in other international initiatives without full commitment to BRICS. However, all of the new BRICS partners do have potential to become full members in the future. However, they are just not being inducted right away for certain reasons only known to the bloc.

The BRICS nations approved a joint communique on Wednesday during the
group’s three-day summit in the Russian city of Kazan. The document addresses multiple global crises and challenges and calls for a fairer and more just international order. The group reaffirmed its commitment to promoting a multipolar world order where all nations have an equal say in global affairs. This is reflected in the declaration’s call for greater representation of emerging and developing countries in international institutions.

“We note the emergence of new centers of power, policy decision-making, and economic growth, which can pave the way for a more equitable, just, democratic, and balanced multipolar world order,” the document stated, adding that this system would be more beneficial to developing countries than the current Western-led international order.

The BRICS countries welcomed the growing influence of regional organizations such as the African Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

These organizations are viewed as important platforms for promoting economic cooperation, security, and cultural exchange among their member states. The declaration also called for a strengthened World Trade Organization to resolve trade disputes and an expanded UN Security Council to provide greater representation for the Global South.

BRICS as an acronym represent Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – the source of the group’s name – along with recent additions Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.