Gathering the Power of the "Global South", Quick Review | BRICS Expansion
The 15th meeting of BRICS leaders was held in Johannesburg, South Africa from August 22nd to 24th. BRICS leaders unanimously agreed to invite Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Iran, and Ethiopia to officially become members of the BRICS family. Leaders and officials of the six countries welcome this and look forward to further deepening cooperation.
On August 24th, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this expansion has significant historical significance. China congratulates the new members!
In 2001, British economist Jim O'Neill first proposed the concept of "BRICS countries". "BRIC" is an abbreviation composed of the first letters of the English names of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. It is translated as "BRIC" because it is similar to the English word "brick". In 2006, the foreign ministers of the BRICS countries held their first meeting, marking the beginning of cooperation among the BRICS countries. In June 2009, BRICS leaders held their first meeting in Yekaterinburg, Russia. In 2011, South Africa officially joined the BRICS countries and was named BRICS in English.
Nowadays, more and more emerging markets and developing countries are actively considering joining the BRICS, and more than 20 countries have applied, demonstrating the attractiveness and appeal of the BRICS countries, as well as the enthusiasm and desire for cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries. In 2022, China assumed the presidency of the BRICS countries and initiated the process of expanding its membership. Since then, China has been steadily advancing the expansion process with BRICS members.
![Gathering the Power of the "Global South", Quick Review | BRICS Expansion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/7ea8ac43bc4fa6c296511e46a53983c4.jpg)
After this expansion, six new members joined, including one Latin American country, two African countries, and three West Asian countries. Previously, the land area of the BRICS countries accounted for 26.46% of the world's total territory, and their population accounted for 41.93% of the world's total population. After these six countries join, the land area of the BRICS countries will increase to nearly 35% of the total world territory. This expansion will greatly enhance the overall influence of the BRICS and further strengthen the voice of the "global southern" countries.
The expansion reflects the determination of BRICS countries to unite and cooperate with developing countries, which is in line with the expectations of the international community and the common interests of emerging market countries and developing countries. This expansion is also a new starting point for BRICS cooperation, injecting new vitality into the BRICS cooperation mechanism and further strengthening the power of world peace and development.