BRICS 2024: Kazan Summit Focuses on Integration, Not Expansion

Russia's BRICS Presidency Confirms 34 Interested Nations, But Prioritizes Consolidation Over Expansion at Upcoming Kazan Summit

As the countdown to the highly anticipated BRICS Leaders' Summit in Kazan enters its final month, Russia's rotating presidency has officially confirmed the details of the upcoming event. Set for October 22-24, 2024, this summit marks a crucial moment in the group's evolution, focusing on integrating new members rather than further expansion.

The Official Word: Putin Confirms 34 Interested Nations

On September 12, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a significant announcement during a meeting with high representatives of BRICS countries in charge of security issues. Putin revealed that "34 countries, to be precise, have already expressed interest in joining the activities of our group in one form or another." This statement has sparked considerable interest in the international community.

However, our readers must understand that this does not signal immediate expansion. Instead, as Putin emphasized, the Kazan summit will prioritize the "swift and natural integration of new member states in all BRICS mechanisms."

Lavrov's Earlier Stance: A Pause in Expansion

This approach aligns with earlier statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. On June 25, 2024, Lavrov stated during a meeting with Natalia Kochanova, speaker of Belarus' Council of the Republic, that BRICS nations had decided to "take a pause" in terms of admitting new members. He explained, "By the overwhelming majority, the ten nations decided to 'take a pause' with new members to 'take in' the new members who have doubled the association."

The New BRICS Landscape

It's important to recall that on January 1, 2024, BRICS welcomed five new members:

1. Egypt

2. Iran

3. United Arab Emirates

4. Saudi Arabia

5. Ethiopia

These additions have effectively doubled the size of the group, bringing the total membership to 10 nations. This expansion represents the most significant change to BRICS since South Africa joined the original quartet of Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2010.

Beyond Sensationalism: The Real Focus of Kazan 2024

While some media outlets may focus on the potential for dramatic expansion, the Kazan summit has a more nuanced agenda. According to Deputy Foreign Minister and Russia's BRICS sherpa Sergey Ryabkov, in an interview with the New Eastern Outlook on September 12, 2024, the summit will focus on "maintaining the achieved level of practical cooperation within BRICS and ensure high quality of effective results from the mechanisms that have already been established."

Ryabkov also noted that the foreign ministers are finalizing work on outlining conditions for a new category of "partner states" and compiling a list of potential candidates. This development suggests a more gradual and structured approach to future expansion.

A Bright Future Ahead: Putin's Vision for BRICS

Despite the temporary halt on new memberships, the future of BRICS looks promising. Putin highlighted that Russia's BRICS presidency plan for 2024 has already been fulfilled by more than 70%, with about 150 events, meetings, and industry forums held.

The Russian President also emphasized BRICS' growing role in global security, noting the creation of "a special electronic registry for exchanging data on computer attacks and incidents" as a concrete result of joint efforts in cybersecurity.

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