Arab countries are lining up to join the bloc, in a shift away from a unipolar world where Washington held sway
With Brics set to welcome Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran and the United Arab Emirates to its number, the collaborative group of nations is about to get a major boost in the international arena.
Not only is Saudi Arabia the world’s top oil exporter, but it’s also the seat of Islam’s holiest sites, making the decision to invite the kingdom an important economic, political and highly symbolic move for the bloc that has so far lacked a Muslim country.
Egypt, the most populous Arab country, will be another feather in the cap of the Brics – whose name is an acronym of the current and original members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Egypt’s presence boosts the bloc’s image as one that is inclusive and representative of various civilisations.
And in a nod to the country’s increasing economic and political influence, the UAE looks set to cement its reputation as a global power broker by joining the group, which will seek to use its influence.
Across the Gulf, Iran’s addition is also meant to carefully manage the power equilibrium between Arab countries and Tehran. China has already signed a 25-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement with Iran estimated to be worth around $400bn.
And since the Ukraine war, Iran and Russia have drawn closer – united in part by the sanctions levied at them by the West. Tehran’s inclusion also burnishes its global influence, something it has sought to increase.
With Ethiopia and Argentina joining these four Middle Eastern countries as the Brics’ newest members, a conscious effort to reorganise global leadership is in play. Together they represent about 45 percent of the world’s population and more than a third of global GDP.
As Brics leaders gathered this week in South Africa’s Johannesburg, a queue of countries from the Middle East and North Africa increasingly expressed a desire to join the group, which is seen as the developing world’s answer to the G7.
Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Morocco and Palestine are just some of the countries that have publicly expressed a desire to join.
For the Middle East and North Africa, there will likely be political, economic and social ramifications from this realignment, potentially undermining US power in the process.
One Bric at a time
Evidence of non-western countries playing a decisive role in Middle Eastern diplomatic affairs could already be seen before the Brics’ expansion.
In March, China brokered a landmark diplomatic breakthrough between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two bitter regional rivals, demonstrating how far the country’s influence in the region has come and taking Washington by surprise in the process.
Notably, the decision to ask Saudi Arabia to become a permanent member of the group was pushed by China in particular, followed by Russia and Brazil, according to reports.
“Gulf countries are diversifying their political and economic relations as the world order becomes increasingly multipolar,” Anna Jacobs, a senior Gulf analyst at the International Crisis Group, told Middle East Eye.
Source : Middle Eye