Palestine seeks BRICS membership, awaits response

Palestine has formally applied to join BRICS but has yet to receive an official response from the bloc, Abdelhafiz Nofal, Palestine’s ambassador to Russia, said.

“We have submitted an application, but, as you know, Palestine has certain conditions. We have not yet received a response,” the envoy announced, per Russian media.

According to him, until circumstances allow Palestine to become a full member, it will continue to participate in BRICS events as a guest.

Currently, BRICS has 10 full members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia, which officially joined in January 2025. Alongside them, 11 states hold observer or partner status — among them Vietnam, which became a BRICS partner in June 2025.

On September 18, diplomatic sources disclosed that Pakistan is expected to obtain full BRICS membership at either the bloc’s 18th or 19th annual summit, scheduled for 2025 or 2026.

Today, BRICS represents more than half of the world’s population, contributes nearly 30% of global GDP, and accounts for 20% of global trade. The bloc attributes these achievements to its guiding principles of openness, inclusiveness, and mutually beneficial cooperation.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), BRICS economies collectively posted GDP growth of 4% in 2024, outpacing the global average. In its expanded format, the group covers 31% of the world’s landmass, represents 46% of the global population, and commands around 20% of world trade. It also holds about 40% of global oil reserves and production.

Spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America, BRICS unites diverse civilisations and has increasingly become a symbol of the growing influence of the “Global South.”

By Tamilla Hasanova