BRICS: association of equals

BRICS and its extended format BRICS+ as a solid geopolitical block coordinating multilateral policy is becoming an important venue for discussing not only economic cooperation, but also global security and peacemaking.

BRICS is a powerful force uniting the states with cumulative population of over 3.6 bn people and dynamically growing markets. 

The share of BRICS in global GDP at purchasing power parity makes 36.7% exceeding the share of G7 member countries with their share of 30%. The average growth rates of BRICS economies in 2024-2025 according to preliminary estimates will make 3.8% with simultaneous growth of global GDP by 3.2-3.3% (also according to preliminary estimates). 

Participation of President Ilham Aliyev in the summit is remarkable, because our country has submitted an application for accession as a full-fleged member of the association.

This is absolutely in line with the strategy of our leaders for multi-vector foreign policy, which Azerbaijan has been successfully following for many years.

Igor Korotchenko, a Russian political analyst and the General Director of the Caspian Institute for Strategic Studies, expressed his point of view on the current status and the development prospects of BRICS in his interview to Bakinsky Rabochy newspaper.

– It is interesting that the session of BRICS+ took place on the United Nations Day. The UN Charter came into effect on 24 October 1945. Is this accidental, or is it a sign that BRICS+ is replacing the UN?

– Right away I want to say that BRICS+ is not replacing the United Nations Organization, the association does not set such an objective for itself. At the same time, when we are looking at the numbers and dates, we can notice certain symbolism. Today, the UN Organization is not efficient from the standpoint of maintaining peace, security and stability. Against the background of the globalization project failure and curtailment of the role and meaningfulness of the West, the Global South countries and other major international players and centers of power are definitely viewing BRICS as an inherent value, a union of equal sovereign states for mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation as a counterbalance to the Anglo-Saxon model of the world order.

– BRICS summit in Kazan became a symbol of the emerging multi-polar era. Do you agree with such statement?

– In a certain sense of the word, I do, because multipolarity today is already in place. The attempts of the USA to preserve its dominating position are doomed to failure, because the US dollar is inevitably losing the global currency status, and in the context of various sanctions it becomes obvious for many countries that linking their financial and economic systems to the US dollar is fraught with losing their sovereignty any time. 

Multipolarity means the growing role of regional associations. We can witness it everywhere. It is important to understand that many regions of the world started playing the key geoeconomic and geopolitical role. For example, the South Caucasus, or the Caspian Region. This region is of no less importance today than the Persian Gulf region. Tectonic shifts are going on beneath our eyes, an BRICS is trying not only to pick up on these trends, but to consolidate them, making this association more resistant to external impacts, as well as turning it into an alternative for the future.

At the same time, I would like to emphasize that BRICS is not an anti-Western project, because it unites both the countries having good relations with the West and the countries with counter-polar relations with the West. The major asset of BRICS is that its membership does not impose any restrictions on decision-making in foreign or domestic policy. On the contrary, the member countries preserve their sovereignty. It is very important, because in the European Union, for example, weaker players are forced to submit to stronger members. To a great extent, the EU is losing its identity. If we analyze the decisions made by the European Parliament or by the EU executive agencies, we will see that they are not just losing the adequate assessment of the global situation, they demonstrate absolute submission to the interests of the United States. Such situation cannot occur in BRICS by default, that is why for many countries of the Global South the accession to this association is of great interest. 

–  In the West they believe that the recent BRICS summit demonstrated the decline of the British influence. On 25-26 October, at Samoa king Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer will preside at the meeting of the Commonwealth of Nations. However, the former British colonies preferred to participate in the BRICS summit in Kazan. Thus, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, and Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa decided to visit Russia instead of Samoa. Is the West indeed losing to BRICS?

– Well, I would not like to be foretelling the decline of the influence of Great Britain or the USA. It’s another thing, that they are losing their positions. Great Britain still remains the influential global player basing on its military power and strong secret services. We should not underestimate the capabilities of our opponents. But it would be really strange if India – a great country and a nuclear power – would attend some event as a former colony.

India has quit playing such games since long ago – it is a strong independent global player rightfully eligible for the position of the permanent member of the UN Security Council within the framework of the UN reform planned for some time in future. It is especially true, because now India has got the capabilities and the economic power compatible with Great Britain, to say the least. For Great Britain the main problem is the degradation of its elites. We all remember Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher – the great politicians of the global scale. The current string of British Prime Ministers causes nothing but amazement. But this is their own choice. 

– Despite the obvious successes in its expansion, BRICS+ is facing serious challenges inside the association. One of them is lack of common opinion on various issues among the member states. Different economic priorities and political objectives make it difficult to achieve consensus. Will BRICS be able to overcome these difficulties and to become a truly powerful organization, or will such internal contradictions limit its potential?

– The main objective of BRICS is to improve its position in the current geopolitical situation, which the member states are already in. That is why the contradictions will always exist, they are inevitable. The main thing is that they should not close the opportunities for development along the lines, which all the member states believe to be feasible and to have high potential for the association.

–  What are the chances of Azerbaijan and Turkey to become full-fledged member states?

– In my opinion, their chances are very high. If we are talking about Azerbaijan, it is already a mid-level state with very good prospects. From the geopolitical influence standpoint, today Baku is looking out for the front line with account of the fact that the territory of Azerbaijan is the most important bridge connecting the East and the West, the North and the South for trade, economic and logistical operations and routes. Azerbaijan is also one of the leaders in producing and exporting hydrocarbons; and its economy and geopolitical influence are growing. That is why all the member states will welcome Azerbaijan joining BRICS. And the same is true about Turkey.

– To which extent the accession to BRICS is preferable for Baku and Ankara versus the accession to the EU?

– In the end, it is the decision of the national leaders. However, we should not forget that Ankara has been waiting to become the EU member since long ago, but the EU kept it in the anteroom for three decades, and then it turned out nobody really plans to invite Turkey to join. In addition, the EU membership turns out to be a loss of sovereignty in many domestic and foreign policy decisions. It means, the EU members are not enjoying equal rights. Respectively, understanding this fact by Baku and Ankara resulted in them choosing other associations. At the same time, Baku is one of the guarantors of energy security for the EU supplying gas via the Southern gas corridor. However, developing it trade and economic relations Azerbaijan obviously chooses BRICS as a more beneficial option. And this choice is absolutely correct.