BRICS expansion on the horizon with Iran and the Arab world as top contenders

After a BRICS summit on Tuesday, August 22, discussions about the expansion of the BRICS group, which currently consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, made notable progress.

While a final decision wasn’t reached, it’s evident that the group’s membership might soon grow to include up to six new countries.

Though Indonesia was initially considered a top contender for membership, it seems the nation may defer its application due to internal reasons.

Meanwhile, Iran’s candidacy to join the group has strengthened.

The primary focus of the BRICS leaders’ meeting was on potential expansion and establishing a common payment method among the member countries.

Additionally, talks touched upon reforms in global institutions, especially the United Nations Security Council.

Preliminary information suggests that the list of potential new members includes:

• Argentina
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• Egypt
• Iran

Another African nation might also be considered before final negotiations conclude.

The final declaration is expected to highlight the new member nations, as well as criteria and rules for future aspirants.

Despite Brazil advocating for setting prerequisites for membership, Celso Amorim, the Special Advisor to the President, opined that these criteria should be established after the selection of new members, implying a tailored approach to fit the new entrants.

On Tuesday, August 23, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized the need for countries desiring BRICS membership to demonstrate commitment.

He remarked that due to the diverse nature of current BRICS members, there’s a necessity for a unified approach.

He made these comments during his weekly live stream, “Conversations with the President.”

Lula and Amorim are in South Africa for the BRICS summit, which began on August 22 and concludes on August 24.

A significant topic under consideration is the expansion criteria for new members, as current standards remain undefined.

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