Brazil advocates BRICS expansion criteria; Saudi Arabia and Argentina in the lead

Currently, 22 countries, including nations such as Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Argentina, Mexico, and Iran, have expressed a clear intent to join the BRICS alliance.

South African negotiators believe an agreement on this matter is “imminent.”

In Brazil’s capital, Brasília, Presidential Special Advisor Celso Amorim shared with the UOL outlet that Brazil wouldn’t oppose an enlargement if there’s a unanimous decision.

An initial proposal from India suggested economic criteria for admission: a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of at least US$400 billion and a trade flow with the existing bloc of at least US$50 billion.

However, this idea was resisted, particularly by South African and Brazilian stakeholders.

South African diplomats conveyed to UOL that its likely criteria will be established by the end of the week, with potential new memberships possibly announced during an upcoming summit.

Among the potential candidates, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates government appear to be the front-runners.

The finalized list could encompass up to five new member nations.

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