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BRICS grows, adding 13 new ‘partner countries’ at historic summit in Kazan, Russia

BRICS held a summit in Kazan, Russia in October 2024, where it expanded with 13 “partner nations”, after adding four new members. These are the most important takeaways from the historic meeting.

BRICS grows multipolar world Kazan Russia summit 2024

The Global South-led organization BRICS is growing. More and more countries support the group’s mission: to build a multipolar world, with alternative economic institutions that are more representative and democratic, not dominated by the Western powers.

BRICS held a summit in Kazan, Russia in October 2024, where 13 new “partner nations” were accepted.

At this historic meeting, China’s President Xi Jinping referred to BRICS as “a vanguard for advancing global governance reform” and “reform of the international financial architecture”.

Bolivia’s left-wing President Luis Arce argued that “the shield of BRICS and multipolarity” can protect formerly colonized nations, helping them resist “Western unipolarity and the tyranny of the dollar”.

The organization was first formed as BRIC in 2009, by Brazil, Russia, India, and China. South Africa subsequently joined in 2010, turning the group into BRICS.

At the 2023 BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, several more members were invited to join.

As of October 2024, BRICS has nine members and 13 partner countries:

  • 5 original members:
    • Brazil
    • Russia
    • India
    • China
    • South Africa
  • 4 new members (invited in August 2023; officially admitted in January 2024):
    • Egypt
    • Ethiopia
    • Iran
    • United Arab Emirates
  • 13 partner countries (accepted in October 2024):
    • Algeria
    • Belarus
    • Bolivia
    • Cuba
    • Indonesia
    • Kazakhstan
    • Malaysia
    • Nigeria
    • Thailand
    • Türkiye
    • Uganda
    • Uzbekistan
    • Vietnam

The expansion of BRICS has made the group into even more of a geopolitical and economic powerhouse.

Together, the nine BRICS members comprise more than one-third of world GDP (measured at purchasing power parity). They have well over 40% of the planet’s population, and make up roughly 30% of global oil production.

By contrast, the G7 nations comprise less than 10% of the world population and under 30% of GDP (PPP), and their share of the global economy is shrinking over time, whereas that of BRICS is increasing.

brics gdp population oil goods exports

Four new BRICS members (but not Argentina and Saudi Arabia)

More than 30 countries attended the Kazan summit, from 22-24 October. This was the first meeting featuring BRICS’ four new members.

Joining Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the summit were Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

At the 2023 Johannesburg summit, six countries had been invited to join, but two did not: Argentina and Saudi Arabia.

At the time, Argentina had a center-left government, led by President Alberto Fernández and Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. They had enthusiastically accepted the offer to join BRICS in August 2023.

The invitees were not officially accepted as members until January 2024, however, and far-right President Javier Milei took office in December 2023. He immediately cancelled Argentina’s plans to join BRICS and condemned the organization, stating, “Our geopolitical alignment is with the United States and Israel. We are not going to align ourselves with communists”.

Unlike Argentina, Saudi Arabia has been ambiguous in its position. Riyadh has not officially accepted the invitation, but it has not rejected the offer either. The kingdom’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (known as MbS) did not attend the Kazan summit. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan attended instead.

Western critics of BRICS, who seek to provoke disunity inside the group, have exploited the public relations blows of Argentina’s rejection and Saudi Arabia’s indecision in order to depict the organization as fragmented.

The creation of the partner status category at the Kazan summit was apparently a way for BRICS to prevent these conflicts from happening again in the future. If a government wants to join the organization, it must first be accepted as a “partner” for a period of time before integrating as a member. (This process is similar to that of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, of which China, Russia, India, and Iran are also members.)

This may explain why the Russian government did announce that there were 13 new partner nations, but did not identify what they were at the Kazan summit. Instead, journalists from BRICS members released the list of partners to the public, citing internal diplomatic sources.

China and India resolve border dispute

The highlight of the Kazan summit was the discussion of plans to transform the international monetary and financial system, based on a report published by the central bank and finance ministry and Russia, in its capacity as BRICS chair in 2024.

One of the most important developments at the meeting, however, happened before the summit officially began.

In Kazan, China and India signed a historic agreement, settling a four-year border dispute.

On the sidelines of the BRICS summit, President Xi and Prime Minister Modi also held their first bilateral meeting in five years.

Russia, which has good relations with both China and India, had mediated and promoted cooperation between the two nations, and appears to have had success in encouraging deeper unity inside BRICS.

In an earlier sign that relations were improving, in May 2024, Beijing sent its ambassador to New Delhi for the first time in 18 months.

The United States, on the other hand, has sought to woo India and exploit its differences with China, exacerbating the tensions to try to isolate Beijing and divide BRICS.

The Western corporate media has likewise attempted to promote conflict within BRICS.

Latin American left blasts Brazil for vetoing Venezuela’s BRICS partner status

While China and India were repairing their relations, Brazil set off a scandal at the Kazan summit.

Brazilian President Lula da Silva did not attend the meeting. He claimed that he suffered an injury and was unable to travel, so he instead sent Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.

Although Lula was not even physically present, his government blocked Venezuela from being accepted as a partner country of BRICS.

This provoked heavy criticism of Lula among the Latin American left, which accused him of undermining BRICS, further dividing the region, and even taking the position of Brazil’s former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro publicly criticized Brazil, stating that its veto of BRICS partner status “constitutes an act of aggression against Venezuela and a hostile gesture”.

The other BRICS members had supported Venezuela’s partner status. Unlike Lula, Maduro actually traveled to Russia for the summit, and in Kazan, the Venezuelan president had friendly meetings with other BRICS leaders and representatives from more than 30 countries.

The scandal led Russia to speak out against Brazil’s diplomatic sleight. “We know Brazil’s position; we do not agree”, Putin said at a press conference.

“Venezuela is fighting for its survival”, the Russian leader added, referencing the constant US-led coup attempts against the government of President Maduro.

Putin revealed that Lula had asked him to speak with Maduro. “I hope the situation will be resolved”, the Russian president said.

BRICS Kazan declaration

The BRICS members signed a lengthy joint statement on 23 October. The Kazan Declaration called for “the promotion of peace, a more representative, fairer international order, a reinvigorated and reformed multilateral system, sustainable development and inclusive growth”.

BRICS seeks “a more equitable, just, democratic and balanced multipolar world order”, according to the statement, which posited, “Multipolarity can expand opportunities for EMDCs [emerging markets and developing countries] to unlock their constructive potential and enjoy universally beneficial, inclusive and equitable economic globalization and cooperation”.

In contrast to the West’s vague idea of the “rules-based international order”, the Kazan Declaration underscored “the central role of the UN in the international system” and international law.

Nevertheless, the statement reaffirmed “support for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including its Security Council”, emphasizing “the urgent need to achieve equitable and inclusive geographical representation in the staff composition of the Secretariat of the United Nations and other international organizations in a timely manner”, with “greater and more meaningful participation of EMDCs and least developed countries, especially in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, in global decision-making processes and structures”.

The Kazan Declaration called “for the reform of the Bretton Woods institutions, which includes increased representation of EMDCs in leadership positions to reflect the contribution of EMDCs to the global economy”, and recognized “the crucial role of BRICS in the process of improving the international monetary and financial system (IMFS)”.

The statement repeatedly condemned “the disruptive effect of unlawful unilateral coercive measures, including illegal sanctions, on the world economy”, and demanded that they be eliminated.

BRICS members also criticized Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon and reaffirmed “support for the State of Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations”, including “the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine in line with internationally recognised borders of June 1967”.

The Kazan Declaration similarly condemned the illegal US military occupation of Syria and Israel’s attacks on Iran.

Statements by leaders at Kazan Summit

At the Kazan summit, China’s President Xi urged, “We must work together to build BRICS into a primary channel for strengthening solidarity and cooperation among Global South nations and a vanguard for advancing global governance reform“.

Xi called for peace in Gaza and Lebanon, stating, “We must promote an immediate ceasefire and an end to the killing. We must make unremitting efforts toward a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian question”.

“In light of the rise of the Global South, we should respond favorably to the calls from various countries to join BRICS”, the Chinese leader added, stating that “the reform of the international financial architecture [is] all the more pressing”, and “BRICS countries should play a leading role in the reform”.

In a similar vein, Putin promoted the replacement of the US dollar-centered Bretton Woods system.

“It is obvious that the next wave of global economic growth is being born in the countries of the global majority”, the Russian leader said. “Therefore, the time has come to discuss the idea of creating our own platform to unlock the potential of our growing economies”.

Putin lamented that the transition to a more multipolar world “is not proceeding smoothly. Its development is being retarded by forces accustomed to thinking and acting in the logic of dominating everything and everyone”.

Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian was also at the Kazan summit, where he expressed enthusiastic support for BRICS’ plans to build a more multipolar financial system.

“We should not continue depending on Western payment systems. This is a big threat”, Pezeshkian warned, urging the establishment of “alternative possibilities”.

“Iran will do everything for the BRICS group to successfully promote the task of reforming the structure of global economic management and creating alternative possibilities for Global South countries”, the Iranian leader said.

Bolivia’s leftist President Luis Arce was at the Kazan summit as well. Announcing with pride that the South American nation had been accepted as a partner country, Arce stated that BRICS “advances every day the consolidation of a new multipolar world”.

“With the support of the BRICS bloc, we can push forward the transformation of the economy and global governance, to strengthen the realization of joint and mutually beneficial development”, the Bolivian leader said.

“This meeting in Kazan will establish a new moment in history, in which the historically subjugated peoples and nations will align themselves behind the shield of BRICS and multipolarity”, Arce continued. “We will realize our national aspirations and development processes with development in our territories, without interference of any kind, with self-determination, taking back the institutional places that that West has prevented us from using”.

The Bolivian president stressed that BRICS will help countries in the Global South achieve “justice with our peoples”, in their struggle against “Western unipolarity and the tyranny of the dollar”.

20 Comments

20 Comments

  1. Eric Arthur Blair

    2024-10-27 at 06:10

    I previously knew nothing about Alexander Dugin apart from the fact that his journalist daughter Daria Dugina was murdered by UkroNazi terrorists.
    Dugin was caricatured by the LEMSO* as an ultra nationalist fanatical Russian ideologue, very different from reality, from his well considered multipolar philosophical views here (joint interview with the brilliant Pepe Escobar):
    https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/keep-moving-forward/pepe-escobar-v-alexander-eB-lzkpMCYs/
    One profound insight I gained from Dugin is that the Western neoliberal economic model is very much a specific product of Western culture, of hyperindividualistic greed, usury and immoral exploitation, values NOT shared by the majority of other world cultures/civilizations.
    Neoliberal economics was portrayed by the LEMSO and Western mouthpieces (Thatcher, Fukuyama) as some kind of inevitable law of Nature (TINA! said Thatcher), yet another lie. Yet very effective to keep Stockholm syndrome captives shackled and compliant.
    NO MORE! say those determined to build a better world with BRICS.
    Highly thought provoking discussion between Dugin and Escobar on the eve of Kazan.

    *Lying Establishment Media Sewer Outlets

  2. Eric Arthur Blair

    2024-10-27 at 06:11

    Re: countries on shortlist to join BRICS: Happy to see Cuba named but disappointed that Venezuela and Independent Korea (as distinguished from the occupied South) were not.
    VIVA CUBA LIBRE!
    My prediction about Malaysia: this feisty little country will go on to play an influential role in BRICS far exceeding its geographic and population size. They have the talent and the cojones. Vietnam becoming a powerhouse is a foregone conclusion, a rising East Asian Tiger.
    Turkiye on the shortlist is a cat among the NATO pigeons! What fun!
    Kazakhstan, Nigeria and Algeria joining are consistent with China’s aim of including as many oil rich countries as possible.

    The absence of MBS in Kazan can be interpreted in various ways. Was he trying to appease the USA? Is he wavering in joining BRICS?
    OTOH, I do regard his reason for not attending, the current war tensions in West Asia, as valid. Was his meeting with Stinkin’ Blinken in Riyadh a slap in the face for BRICS?
    It is possible that behind closed doors MBS told Stinky that there was no way MBS would allow Israeli planes to overlfly KSA to attack Iran, that MBS might even shoot them down, and if Israel did try to overlfly and were refuelled by the US over KSA, this would be an aggravation and justification to then expel all US forces from KSA.
    It is in the interests of KSA to adopt such a strong position because if they are seen by Iran as aiding the ZioYankees to bomb Iranian oil infrastructure, then KSA’s oil facilities will certainly subsequently be destroyed by Iran (already shown to be vulnerable to primitive Yemeni missiles).
    If that was the nature of the MBS / Stinky meeting, an ultimatum by MBS that would prevent global economic collapse and WW3, then I admit it was more important than going to Kazan.

    PS: Israel’s long distance missile capability is heavily dependent on air to surface cruise missiles launched from high altitude planes which need refuelling over either KSA or Iraq, to reach Iran. Israel has very few long distance surface to surface or submarine to surface missiles.

  3. Eric Arthur Blair

    2024-10-27 at 06:13

    FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS!
    Even for cynics who only care about themselves, only whether personally affected by high oil prices, global economic meltdown and WW3, this is good news. For those who care about a psychotic bully being neutralised, this is especially good news.
    It appears Israel’s latest missile strike against Iran proved impotent, the ISR and S400 defences intercepting almost everything. If so, there is little incentive for Iran to strike back and escalate and block Hormuz. If things settle down, we can simply wait for the inevitable collapse of Israel due to economic meltdown and flight of all Israeli professionals out of that cuntry.
    Israel is only good at cowardly bombing of defenceless residences, hospitals and refugee camps, just like their cowardly patron the USA. Those who support Israel and the USA are on the wrong side of history, they are on the side of EVIL.
    https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/keep-moving-forward/larry-c-johnson-andrei-thUdwD0Bixm/
    Larry Johnson is ex-CIA and Andrei Martyanov is an ex Soviet up-to-date weapons expert living in the USA who was correct about everything regarding the Ukraine war.

    • Energieerhaltungssatz

      2024-10-27 at 14:53

      Only an economic meltdown in the United States, the world’s leading exporter of debt, could lead to an economic meltdown of Israel, otherwise, they will just continue to print more [counterfeit] money.

      If Iran wipes out the US military base called “Israel” in Palestine, then racist politicians in Europe and the USA couldn´t manipulate war refugees from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and other regions from the Middle East / Asia in order to incite the people against Muslims, e.g. by recruiting the refugees into terrorist organisations like ISIS, which many of them actively support with funds, or trick them with lies into committing terrorist acts in order to justify invasions or use them as a distraction or to gain votes or …

      I wonder what the 193 UN member states would do, if Iran invokes Article 42 of the UN Charter in connection with Article 51, citing the case between South Africa v. Israel at the ICJ as a justification to skip Article 41 of the UN Charter. Those who fell for the US / IMF / World Bank “cheaper loans” scam, would become quite visible.

      I also find it very ironic that after years of fighting “Hitlers” all over the world, Donald Trump, the “new Hitler” has been declared in the US. I guess the US army has no choice, but to militarily intervene in the name of freedom and democracy.

    • Eric Arthur Blair

      2024-10-28 at 01:35

      For those who think I misspelled the word cuntry, I did not.
      Israel is a nation full of….

      • JonnyJames

        2024-10-28 at 14:51

        LOL, and the United Kuntdom and the Americunts.

        There was a comedy show on Netflix some years ago called “Lillyhammer” where British actor Paul Kaye plays a hooligan criminal type. I can’t find the exact clip, but there is one where he yells at the top of his lungs: “You fkn cuunt!” Here is a different clip of him playing the same character. I thought it was hilarious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nBo2nacdmE

  4. A Skeptic

    2024-10-27 at 12:57

    Great Article!

    We’ve shared the link on our report.

    A Skeptic War Reports

    https://askeptic.substack.com/

  5. BriceMerks

    2024-10-27 at 16:17

    I’m curious as to why Brazil blocked Venezuela. Is this because of threats of sanctions from the US? Bolivia is joining and presumably will not be blocked by Brazil. What’s your opinion on that?

    From any vantage it’s pretty devastating to Venezuela. If it’s the case that Brazil is being compromised because of pressure from the US could Brazil’s status in BRICS become diminished?

    On a side note, if it is the case that the reason for Brazil’s action is US pressure, in my opinion, that’s a tactic acknowledgement by the US that it’s worried about BRICS.

    Going forward what do you see Maduro’s options are going forward?

    • JonnyJames

      2024-10-29 at 09:59

      Good point. Cuba and Venezuela need assistance. Economic siege warfare results in mass death and displacement. Although US relative power has declined, we see that it can still impose harsh (and illegal) measures to force compliance with The Washington Consensus.

      The road to breaking free from the USD and US will be rocky. Many of the countries involved are vulnerable to economic, financial, military, interference from the US. Infiltration by US intelligence assets is another big factor. I have no idea, but we can be almost certain that bribes and threats are a factor. What happened to Evo Morales is a case in point.

    • Eric Arthur Blair

      2024-10-29 at 14:08

      Brice’s question has to be one of the most cogent and important ones posed on this website. I suspect Pepe Escobar may be the best person to shed light on the situation, perhaps in discussion with Ben who is also an expert on Latin American issues. They should talk about the Morales assassination attempt too.

  6. Lucille Gaither

    2024-10-28 at 16:16

    According to Revelation 13 various countries will formulate a mark, better known as the mark of the beast. People will not be able to do commerce without it. It will be either on the forehead or hand. “And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name.”

    • Eric Arthur Blair

      2024-10-29 at 07:44

      Arguably the greatest threat to human existence are end-of-days, bible thumping lunatics hellbent on ensuring Armageddon comes crashing down on all of us. There is no possibility of using facts, reason or logic to dissuade them of their dangerous shitheadedness, hence any of them in positions of power need to be neutralised with extreme prejudice if humanity are to survive.
      Eschatology is delusional scatology, the unscientific, whackadoodle preoccupation with shit by lunatic shitheads, one example being Adrian Zenz, offsider of pompous Pompeo, another bible thumping shithead.
      Is microchipping humans a threat to us? Yes, and we must oppose it. But do not bring crapulent insanity into your argument.

    • JonnyJames

      2024-10-29 at 09:49

      Sorry, the religious mumbo jumbo is a distraction and excuse. Although I will play The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden on Halloween, I don’t believe in fairy tales.

      Besides, I don’t think Jesus was about mass murdering children and ethnically cleansing Samaria. But then again most of the religious nutters turn the teachings of Jesus on their heads. Blessed are the warmongers, the peacemakers are an abomination

    • Energieerhaltungssatz

      2024-10-29 at 13:25

      Guideline on discrediting a subject on the internet who speaks the truth and provides verifiable facts (written on the day the internet was founded … or a few days later):

      1. Create spam accounts
      2. Ridicule the topic and subject, avoid facts and distract from the facts the subject has provided, e.g. by simply repeating what you already said, keep the conversation going endlessly.
      3. Follow the subject and spam porn comments
      4. Follow the subject and spam lunatic comments

      • Eric Arthur Blair

        2024-10-29 at 13:35

        Hmmm, is basing one’s deeply held worldview on the hallucinatory writings of an anonymous Jew(s) from thousands of years ago, fact based?
        Or is it lunatic shitheadedness?

        • Energieerhaltungssatz

          2024-10-29 at 16:31

          Your two questions made me think way more than I intended to think about this topic. Maybe we should ask an AI to act like Jesus and give us an approximation of the type of “QR code of the Beast” that Lucille Gaither is talking about.

          Or we could just reply with 42, the answer to everything.

  7. JonnyJames

    2024-10-30 at 10:07

    Off topic but: The Consortium News website has been hacked for days now and still is. It looks like what little independent journalism left is under attack. I would guess that Ben and the folks at GE are aware of this and taking steps to prevent this sort of thing.

    • Eric Arthur Blair

      2024-10-30 at 13:33

      Happened several times to the now defunct Saker website that had kindly published a few articles of mine.
      Thankfully as of 30 October Consortium is now back online:

      “Consortium News has defeated an attack on America’s oldest independent news site. For now.
      After being completely taken over for nearly 72 hours, CN was able to wrest back control of our site from the attackers and resume our ability to publish again.
      Our victory was just one battle in an escalating war against a free press, however, which has included recent arrests, interrogations and home raids against journalists both in Britain and the U.S.”

      • JonnyJames

        2024-10-31 at 12:55

        Thanks Eric, I cleared my cache and refreshed, and now the CN website is back. I hope that CN will cross post more of Ben’s articles in future.

        Pity that the Saker is no longer active, Michael Hudson even mentioned that he regularly visited the site some years back.

        I hear Craig Murray had to flee the UK to avoid another arrest. The attack on dissidents and journalism is getting even worse.

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