Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ The BRICS bloc has started 2025 by significantly expanding its reach, welcoming nine new partner countries to collaborate with its members. Following the inclusion of four nations as full members in 2024, this move reflects BRICS‘ growing influence on the global stage.
The nine new partner nations include Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. These countries span diverse regions—Latin America, Southeast Asia, Asia, and Africa—highlighting BRICS’ commitment to global inclusivity.
This partnership model, introduced at the 16th BRICS Summit held in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024, enables selected countries to engage with the bloc’s initiatives while working toward full membership. Although these partners cannot vote or approve official documents, they can propose new initiatives, fostering active collaboration.
Notably, by early 2025, Algeria, Nigeria, Turkey, and Vietnam had not responded to the invitation to join as partners.
The bloc previously expanded in January 2024 when Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became full members. The 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in August 2023 invited these countries.
Argentina initially agreed to join but later reversed its decision following a change in government in December 2023, thereby halting its membership. Similarly, Saudi Arabia, another invitee, had yet to formalize its decision by the end of 2024.
BRICS, originally founded in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, evolved to include South Africa in 2010, creating the BRICS acronym. With its latest expansion, the bloc now comprises nine full members and nine partner countries, collectively representing approximately half of the world’s population.
As a global economic powerhouse, BRICS accounts for over 41% of the world’s GDP. Its member states and partners are among the leading producers of vital commodities, including oil, gas, grains, meat, and minerals.
The addition of these new partner nations not only strengthens the bloc’s economic reach but also underscores its role in shaping a multipolar global order.
