大象传媒

Officials from five countries that make up forty per cent of the world's population are gathering in South Africa for the so-called BRICS summit. The grouping brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Those nations leaders - with the exception of Russia's Vladimir Putin - are in Johannesburg for the summit. Many more nations want to join the club and dozens of leaders from Africa, Asia and the Middle East will also be in attendance. Some like Saudi Arabia have formally applied to join. Talmiz Ahmad, India's former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told Newsday that the, "expansion of BRICS is inevitable and it will take place sooner rather than later." BRICS countries are united by a desire to challenge perceived Western dominance in global affairs and he said "most countries today are looking at asserting strategic autonomy in a multi polar world order". He said "we do not have any interest in a US led world order". He thinks "Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Algeria and Iran are likely to join" and said "it's not surprising as many of these countries had been very strong allies of the Americans for at least 60 years or more and gradually they lost credibility as the security guarantors of their region." He said "the new term that is gaining currency is multi alignment founded on strategic autonomy" with "countries who want to assert their own interests" and are not challenging other countries.

Picture shows, Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers direct traffic outside the Sandton Convention Centre ahead of the 2023 BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, on August 21, 2023. (Credit MARCO LONGARI Getty Images)