Although approval was granted in 2023, Indonesia formally requested to join the group only after the 2024 presidential elections. The Brazilian government announced in a statement on Monday that Indonesia has officially joined BRICS as a full member, further expanding the group of major emerging economies, which also includes Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Brazil, which assumed the presidency on January 1, stated that member states approved Indonesia’s membership by consensus as part of an expansion effort initially approved at the bloc’s summit in 2023 in Johannesburg.
Despite receiving approval in 2023, Indonesia opted to formally join the group only after the 2024 presidential elections and the formation of its new government.
Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, had previously expressed its desire to join BRICS as a way to strengthen emerging economies and promote the interests of the so-called Global South. On Tuesday, Indonesia stated that becoming a permanent member of BRICS would give greater prominence to non-Western countries and help achieve a more balanced global order.
“This achievement reflects Indonesia’s growing active role in global affairs, as well as its commitment to strengthening international cooperation to achieve a more inclusive and balanced global order,” stated Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The BRICS group is “an important platform for Indonesia to reinforce South-South cooperation, ensuring that the voices and aspirations of Global South countries are heard and represented in global decision-making processes,” the ministry added in its statement.
Indonesian authorities expressed gratitude to Russia, which held the bloc’s rotating presidency in 2024, and to Brazil, which committed to working with other BRICS countries to address global challenges such as climate change and food security.
Brazil succeeds Russia in the BRICS presidency, a term coined by a Goldman Sachs analyst to describe emerging economies. BRICS was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011, followed by Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia in 2024. The bloc represents over 40% of the global population and more than 35% of the world’s GDP.
Now, after Indonesia’s entry, countries such as Turkey, Nigeria, Algeria, Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, and Uganda are expected, though not yet confirmed, to join as associate member states in 2025, consolidating the bloc as a relevant voice for the Global South.
Source: Expansão
