An official Saudi source stated that the Kingdom is still considering an invitation to join the BRICS group after the group requested its membership last year. This comment came after South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor claimed on Wednesday that the Kingdom had joined the coalition. The source mentioned in a statement to Reuters that Saudi Arabia has not yet responded to the invitation to join BRICS and that it is still under consideration.
In August, the group invited Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Iran, Argentina, and Ethiopia to join starting January 1, but Argentina stated in November that it would not accept the invitation. The group believes that its expansion would provide it with additional economic weight and could also enhance its stated ambition to become a front for advocating the global south, which may contribute to adjusting the global system that it claims has become outdated.
The coalition currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Earlier this month, Saudi Minister of Economy Faisal Al-Ibrahim said that the Kingdom is still exploring the matter. Riyadh is assessing its options against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and China and Russia, amid U.S. concerns about the growing ties between Riyadh and Beijing. The UAE has stated that it has joined the coalition.
