A forthcoming announcement about the expansion of BRICS is set to take place at the summit in South Africa. Some member nations have pushed back against the potential expansion of the political alliance.
Bloomberg reported that the leaders of Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa will make an announcement on the expansion of the group when they meet later this month. 22 countries have formally asked for full membership into BRICS, with another 20 who have made informal requests.
There has been some disagreement among the group about whether expansion is the right move. China has pushed for rapid expansion of the bloc, while India has expressed reservations about allowing more members into the alliance. The report noted that Brazil is worried about alienating the US and European Union.
The group’s ambassador, Anil Sooklal, said: “BRICS has been a catalyst for a tectonic change you will see in the global geopolitical architecture starting with the summit.” He noted that the group does not perceive itself in opposition to any other group, and that the potential expansion has alarmed nations in “privileged positions.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the virtual gathering, avoiding a potential arrest on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes if he travels to South Africa. The African country is a member of the tribunal, per the report.
It’s still not clear if Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in attendance. Modi’s absence could be viewed as a snub to the host country and he would not take part in bilateral meetings with other allied leaders. Those familiar with the situation said that India isn’t prepared to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping while a border dispute continues unresolved.
Sooklal said that “this will be the largest gathering in recent time of countries from the Global South coming together to discuss the current global challenges.” A total of 71 countries have been invited to the summit.
