9/6/2024–|Last updated: 6/9/202405:37 PM (Mecca time)
Turkey began joining the BRICS group through a strategic step it took earlier this year, according to what the British website (Middle East Eye) quoted from 3 informed Turkish officials.
Experts expect that BRICS (a name derived from the first letters of the founding countries, which are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) will dominate the global economy in the coming decades. It is often seen as an alternative to the Group of Seven, which is mainly led by Western countries, and represents a major shift in the dynamics of… Global power.
If Türkiye’s attempt succeeds, it will become the first NATO country to join the bloc.
BRICS expansion plan
Moscow stated that Turkey would be a topic of discussion at the upcoming BRICS summit chaired by Russia. However, it warned that the organization was unlikely to accept all applications for membership, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed last week that he would attend a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers scheduled for this week. .
Last August, BRICS announced plans to double its membership, and sent invitations to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, the Emirates, Turkey, and Ethiopia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had previously expressed his interest in joining BRICS.
Following the BRICS decision to expand, the Turkish Foreign Ministry began evaluating the potential benefits and costs of membership, according to a Turkish official who spoke to the British website.
Turkey’s interest in joining an economic bloc led by China and Russia surprised some capitals and rejected Europe. The British website quoted a second Turkish official as saying that Turkey is attracted to the BRICS countries because they do not require political or economic commitments or agreements.
“Not an alternative”
“We do not see BRICS as an alternative to NATO or the EU, however, the stalled EU accession process encourages us to explore other economic platforms,” the official said.
He added that “Turkey’s allies on paper” often ignore Ankara’s security concerns and deprive it of advanced weapons. We would like to be part of every multilateral platform, even if there is a small chance of benefiting us.
Among several experts, the website quoted the academic at the Turkish National Defense University, Hayati Unlu, as saying that Turkey wants to develop a network of relations complementary to its relations with the West to overcome economic difficulties.
Ünlu noted that traditional global institutions, such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, are increasingly viewed as outdated, leading to the emergence of alternative platforms such as the Quad (a security dialogue involving Australia, India, Japan and the United States) or the expanding BRICS countries, known as In the name of Brix Plus.
Leon Rosmarin, an expert on Russian affairs at Northeastern University in the United States, said: “It is better for Turkey to build cooperation with both the West and the major countries and blocs in the rest of the world, to achieve its interests.”
Rosmarin said Turkey’s bid to join BRICS is in line with its policy of maintaining trade relations with Russia, even after the war with Ukraine in 2022.
“If Turkey joins, it will not necessarily be an anti-Western move because India and Brazil have joined this organization from the beginning,” he said.
However, the top Turkish official expressed doubts about the feasibility of BRICS membership, given the bloc’s recent focus on eliminating the dollar and Ankara’s agreements with countries in the region to create settlement mechanisms in local currencies.
“We do not have significant trade with the BRICS countries, except China,” the first official said, noting that Turkey still conducts more than half of its annual trade with the European Union.
The official questioned BRICS’ political influence, noting that the bloc’s influence remains limited. “BRICS could be more important in the future if it becomes more politically relevant and resonates with international public opinion,” he said.
