Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous nation, initially sought membership in the group to strengthen emerging countries and advance the interests of the so-called Global South.
Brazil’s government said on Monday that Indonesia is officially joining BRICS as a full member, further expanding the group of major emerging economies, including Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
As the world’s fourth-most populous nation, Indonesia had sought to join the bloc to reinforce the coalition of emerging nations and further the interests of the Global South.
Brazil, set to take the bloc’s rotating presidency in 2025, confirmed that member states unanimously agreed to admit Indonesia, building on the expansion framework agreed upon at the 2023 Johannesburg summit.
The South American country observed that Indonesia’s proposal received a green light from the group last year, 2023, but the Asian nation applied to be a member after holding the presidential election last year. President Prabowo Subianto assumed the presidency last October.
Indonesia, like the other members of the group, supports reform of global governance institutions and contributes positively to the deepening of cooperation in the Global South,” the Brazilian government said.
Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates comprise the BRICS group. The Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa bloc has been broadened to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have already applied to become members, and a number of other countries have also expressed interest.
