TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ensures that Indonesia has no plan to join BRICS amid the bloc's expansion. Indonesia, Jokowi said, has not submitted its expression of interest letter. "We want to examine and calculate [BRICS membership] first. We don't want to be in a rush," he said as stated in a press release on Thursday, August 24, 2023.

BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) is currently inviting Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egyp, Argentina, and UAE to join BRICS as part of its effort to boost influence in the Global South. The expansion is also extended to other countries amid the geopolitical polarization that triggers China and Russia to use BRICS as a balancing power to the West.

Jokowi also emphasized that Indonesia's relationship with the five members of BRICS is top-notch, especially in regard to economic relations.

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday, August 24, that new members of BRICS will be welcomed on January 1, 2024. The discussion concerning expansion was the main agenda during the summit in Johannesburg.

Despite openly expressing their support of expansion, the members debated over how large and how fast the BRICS expansion would be.

BRICS houses 40% of the world's population and a quarter of the global GDP. However, its failure to implement a coherent vision causes the bloc to lose its weight as a global economic and political actor.

Previously, more than 40 states expressed their interest in joining BRICS, said a South African official. Around 22 countries have been accepted among the fold. Most of the countries joining are interested in BRICS' pledge to rebalance the global order.

DANIEL A. FAJRI | REUTERS

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