Zimbabwe takes step toward BRICS membership, awaits consensus secision

Zimbabwe has officially entered the application process to become a member of the BRICS group, which consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The African nation is now awaiting a consensus decision from the existing members of the group, as it works toward meeting the necessary conditions for membership.

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Amon Murwira, made the announcement during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

"Zimbabwe is endeavouring to achieve the necessary conditions for joining BRICS. We are at the application stage and will await a response in line with the consensus reached within the BRICS framework," Murwira stated, underlining the country’s commitment to meeting the group’s membership criteria.

Founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, BRICS expanded in 2010 with the inclusion of South Africa as a counterweight to the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations. The bloc underwent another significant expansion in 2024, adding Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates to its ranks.

Saudi Arabia has also been invited to join BRICS, while Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have submitted formal membership applications. Several other countries have expressed interest in joining, reflecting the bloc’s growing influence in global affairs.

Brazil assumed the BRICS chairmanship on January 1, 2025.

The next BRICS summit is scheduled to take place in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7, 2025, where leaders are expected to discuss strategic initiatives, economic collaboration, and the bloc’s evolving role on the international stage.

The BRICS group, known for its growing influence on the global stage, represents a diverse bloc of emerging economies.

By Vafa Guliyeva