Admitting the United Arab Emirates into the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) bloc would enable the association to exert pressure on Western nations to embrace alterations within the international relations framework, particularly concerning trade and the process of dedollarisation, Mohamed Badine El Yattioui, a Doctor of Political Science and Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations and Strategic Studies at the American University in the UAE, said during a conversation with a TASS correspondent.
"The significance of BRICS has been steadily increasing over the past decade," El Yattioui stated. He is of the opinion that member countries of the alliance are actively engaged in "shaping a fresh paradigm within the realm of international relations" and striving to establish a novel global order. "It holds considerable importance for the UAE to become an integral part of BRICS," the scholar asserted. He further added that the inclusion of the UAE and other prospective BRICS entrants would facilitate the coalition's ability to "encourage Western nations to acknowledge certain adaptations in the emerging global order." Particularly, he highlighted modifications related to "international trade, the broader international political economy, currency matters, and the shift away from the dominance of the US dollar."
Saudi Arabia and the UAE possess robust economies, boasting impressive overall GDP and GDP per capita figures. These nations present BRICS with numerous prospects, particularly in the energy sector, according to El Yattioui. The scholar stated, "The UAE stands as a highly promising contender for BRICS membership." He underscored that BRICS would benefit from including the UAE in the alliance, and he firmly believes that it is within BRICS' interests to welcome the UAE into the association.
During a meeting on June 1 in Cape Town, the foreign ministers of BRICS nations deliberated on the expansion concept of the group. However, they chose to send the document for further refinement. Subsequently, a Friends of BRICS gathering took place on the following day. This event was attended by the foreign ministers of BRICS member nations as well as representatives from 12 other Global South countries that expressed interest in joining the community.
The upcoming BRICS summit is scheduled for August 22-24 in Johannesburg, under the leadership of South Africa. Naledi Pandor, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, indicated that the summit's agenda will include discussions about the organization's expansion. She mentioned that 23 countries have formally submitted applications to become part of BRICS.
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Based on materials from TASS