Another African nation pushes to join BRICS

Zimbabwe has engaged member states of the group to expand international partnerships, the country’s foreign minister has said

Zimbabwe is intensifying efforts to secure BRICS membership as part of a strategy to broaden its international partnerships and strengthen its economic position, local outlets reported on Tuesday. 

Speaking to The Herald, Zimbabwean Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Amon Murwira said Harare has approached BRICS member countries to push for quicker admission into the bloc.

“Zimbabwe is ready to integrate more deeply into the global community, and joining blocs such as BRICS is very important for us in expanding our economic involvement and integrating Zimbabwe into the global economy,” Murwira stated, as quoted by the outlet.

Murwira said President Emmerson Mnangagwa has tasked him to lead Zimbabwe’s engagement with BRICS member states. Zimbabwe also applied last year to join the New Development Bank (NDB), the bloc’s financial arm, according to the report.

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The minister had already raised the issue in March, when he said Zimbabwe aims to join BRICS and confirmed that the country was at the application stage. The Zimbabwean president also discussed Harare’s intention to become a BRICS member with Russian President Vladimir Putin during talks in St. Petersburg in June 2024.

Zimbabwe submitted its official application to join BRICS on March 7.

In October, the Russian ambassador to Harare, Nikolay Krasilnikov, stated that Moscow “strongly supports Zimbabwe’s keen interest in engaging with BRICS” and is prepared to assist the African country in its pursuit of membership. He added that “decisions in BRICS are made by consensus” but that Russia welcomes Zimbabwe’s integration into the group.

BRICS was established in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. In recent years, BRICS expanded its membership. It now also includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, bringing its total to ten full members.

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The group created a partner country category in 2024 to widen participation. Partner countries include Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, allowing them to engage in select BRICS meetings and initiatives.