RT quoted an announcement from Brazil - the country holding the rotating BRICS presidency - saying that Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country, has officially joined BRICS.
BRICS, founded in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, welcomed South Africa two years later. The group was initially conceived as a platform for joint investment and financial stability, but has since expanded into a multi-faceted forum that includes global security issues.
Indonesia's entry into BRICS has been supported by leaders of the bloc since 2023. However, the ASEAN country only decided to join after forming a new government last year.
“Indonesia shares with BRICS members the commitment to reforming global governance institutions and actively contributing to strengthening South-South cooperation,” the Brazilian government said.
As the most populous country and the largest economy in Southeast Asia in terms of nominal GDP, Indonesia promises to make strategic contributions, strengthening the common voice of developing countries in the international arena.
Last year, BRICS expanded with the addition of Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. This year, countries such as Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Cuba, Uganda, Malaysia, and Uzbekistan are expected to become official BRICS partners.
In addition, more than two dozen other countries, including regional powers, have expressed interest in cooperating with BRICS, according to senior officials from Russia, which holds the rotating BRICS presidency in 2024.
Indonesia's accession to BRICS not only marks an important step forward in the country's international integration strategy but also demonstrates the growing attractiveness of BRICS to developing countries, in the context of the global order undergoing dramatic changes.
