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Why is Saudi Arabia not in BRICS yet?
According to the government Saudi Arabia has not officially become a part of the BRICS bloc of developing countries.
FILE PHOTO: Delegates interact next to the logos of the BRICS summit during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2023. GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
The Minister of Commerce for Saudi Arabia, Majid Al-Kasabi, stated during a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Saudi Arabia has not officially become a part of the BRICS bloc of developing countries.
Al-Kasabi clarified the situation, mentioning that although Saudi Arabia has received an invitation to attend BRICS, they have not yet formally joined the bloc. This statement comes after confusion arose when Saudi state TV initially reported the kingdom’s membership in the bloc earlier in the month, only to retract the information from its social media accounts later on. A request for additional details from the Saudi government went unanswered on this issue.
The invitation for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iran, Argentina, and Ethiopia to join the group of nations known as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, China, India, and South Africa) was extended in August. However, Argentina indicated in November that it would not accept the invitation.
The deliberation of Saudi Arabia regarding the offer occurs amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the US and China.
Additionally, the warming relations between Saudi Arabia and Beijing have raised concerns in Washington. Despite maintaining strong ties with America, Saudi Arabia has increasingly pursued an independent path due to concerns that Washington may be less committed to the security of the Gulf region than in the past.
