What is BRICS? Influence on the Global Economy and New Members in 2024

What is BRICS?

The term BRICS hails from the initials of its esteemed member nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This consortium, expanding further from 2024, shall include the likes of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Delightful, isn’t it? Evidently, BRICS propels a multipolar world, driving the economic vitality of its assemblies.

Is BRICS an organisation?

Whilst not a traditional legal entity per se, BRICS rather fancies itself as a dynamic platform. Through regular tête-à-têtes and summits, its leaders deliberate over pivotal matters concerning the global economy, security, and our dear environment. The club represents nations bustling with economic vigour, keen to amplify their global influence. For further elucidation, do peruse BRICS official website.

Now, let us traverse the terrain of the noteworthy declarations of one Vladimir Putin. On a rather relevant occasion, the Russian president championed their collective endeavour. By joining forces, he insisted, BRICS would magnify each nation’s economic potential and bolster their constructive sway on global matters. One must say, all quite intriguing!

BRICS Development Bank: a key financial instrument

A primary tool in the arsenal of BRICS is the New Development Bank (NDB), inaugurated in 2014. The bank is ever so committed to backing infrastructure and sustainable ventures in BRICS nations. Its focuses include:

  • clean energy and energy efficiency;
  • transport infrastructure;
  • water and sanitation;
  • digital infrastructure;
  • environmental protection;
  • social infrastructure.

The Role of the NDB in the global financial system

A noteworthy aspect of the NDB you ought to know is its penchant for local currency loans. Intriguing, indeed! This approach strengthens BRICS’s positioning in the global financial tableau. Alongside, NDB’s sustainable financing policy steers the issuance of green, social, and sustainable bonds.

Nikolay Yakushev, a fellow from the Vologda Research Centre, expounded upon the bank’s laudable objectives. He emphasized that the NDB diligently supports fair economic progression and digital settlement systems.

BRICS influence on the global economy

In his speech marking Russia’s BRICS chairmanship, Putin underscored the priorities: fortifying economic collaborations, trading in local currencies, and nurturing financial linkages.

Moreover, the clout of BRICS members burgeons. The World Bank noted that BRICS accounted for 35.7% of global GDP by purchasing power parity in 2023. China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, advocated continuous reform of global finance, with technology and sustainable growth as focal aspects. He was quite eloquent, affirming, “We choose our development paths independently.” For further insights, World Bank on BRICS.

Impact on international trade flows

China and India, the duo of economic leviathans within BRICS, are fervently fostering new commerce pathways. Thus, fortifying the status of developing nations and widening global trade corridors. Xi Jinping, the Premier of China, shone light on BRICS’s significant participation in remodelling global economic constructs. He noted its critical role in crafting the international landscape.

Ship captains steer their vessels adroitly in response to BRICS’s growing economic might. Experts contend, with NDB’s rise and BRICS’s widening assemblage, this group indeed etches its name deeper onto the global stage. Jolly good, one must say!