Indonesia officially joins BRICS as full member

The Brazilian government announced on Monday that Indonesia has officially joined BRICS, becoming a full member of the organization that includes the world’s largest emerging economies.

BRICS was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, but has recently expanded significantly with the addition of new countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

Now, Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, has become the latest member to join the group.

Indonesia has previously expressed its interest in joining BRICS as part of its efforts to enhance cooperation among emerging countries and support the interests of the so-called Global South.

Indonesia and the other members share a common vision of reforming global governance institutions and enhancing regional cooperation.

Brazil, which holds the BRICS presidency for 2025, confirmed that member states unanimously approved Indonesia’s accession, based on an expansion plan first agreed upon during the group’s meeting in Johannesburg in 2023.

Brazil explained that Indonesia’s application to join was approved in 2023, but Jakarta opted to join after last year’s presidential election.

Indonesia has witnessed a significant political change with the election of Prabowo Subianto as president last October.

Indonesia’s entry into BRICS comes at a time when the country is seeking to enhance its international role and benefit from economic and political partnerships within the group.

Indonesia’s accession to BRICS represents an important step towards strengthening the position of emerging countries in the global system.

This move is expected to contribute to enhancing economic and political cooperation among BRICS members, and support the goals of development and stability in the global South.