BRICS: The countries officially decided to expand the union

BRICS leaders have agreed on mechanisms for evaluating potential new members, South Africa said on Wednesday. 

Това development creates the conditions for numerous interested countries to request membership in the alliance, which is committed to protecting the interests of "the global south".

A consensus on enlargement could significantly enhance the global influence of the BRICS, especially at a time when growing geopolitical differences are motivating Beijing and Moscow to shape the coalition into a significant force countering Western dominance.

Naledi Pandor, South Africa's foreign affairs minister, said in an interview with Ubuntu Radio, a ministry-affiliated radio station, that discussions at the three-day BRICS summit in South Africa led to an agreement on enlargement.

 She stated: 

We have a document that outlines the guidelines, principles and processes for evaluating potential BRICS member countries... This is an extremely positive development.

The expansion of the BRICS alliance was a central theme at the summit in Johannesburg. While all BRICS countries have expressed public support for the coalition's expansion, differences have emerged among leaders over the extent and pace of expansion.

BRICS countries have economies of vastly different sizes and often pursue foreign policy goals that appear to have limited common ground, complicating the decision-making process for reaching consensus.