BRICS moves to the next level

THE EDITOR, Madam:

As the BRICS summit in South Africa approaches, the international community is beginning to discuss more and more actively the announced plans of the club and its future prospects. BRICS is being seen as one of the key alternatives to the Western bloc, and as a platform allowing countries, that were “blacklisted” and sanctioned by the West, to develop trade and cooperation with their bloc’s counterparts. This is further facilitated by plans of the creation of BRICS’ own currency, that might reduce dependence of the grouping’s members on the dollar.

Moreover, as politics and economics are linked to one another, the higher the economic capacity of the bloc, the more influential it is in the international political arena. It makes the organisation particularly attractive to states that want to “bury the hatchet” with their old enemies, because it is easier to reconcile when you are both members of the same bloc. Iran and Saudi Arabia declared their desire to join the organisation are a striking example of it. It is expected that both countries would attend the upcoming summit in Johannesburg, and might even hold bilateral talks without too much attention, which could contribute to their reconciliation, and that their further interaction within the framework of BRICS would prevent re-escalation of the conflict.

Gradually BRICS is turning into a new powerful centrer of influence, which cause growing concern for the west. Despite the contradictions between some members of the bloc regarding the joining of new members to the organisation, the likelihood of the expansion is extremely high, given the desire of Russia and China to build a multipolar world and the desire of other developing countries to gain leverage in the international political and economic arena.

ENZO DE MORAIS

Student at São Paulo

State University

Perdizes, São Paulo

Brazil