Die BRICS-Erweiterung – Von BRICS zu BRICS+

Fourth event in the five-part series on global reassessment 

BRICS: ARCHITECTS OF A NEW WORLD ORDER?
From a Ridiculed Alliance to a Geopolitical Powerhouse

The BRICS group has undergone two major waves of expansion in its history. Following South Africa’s admission in 2010, the most recent—and far more strategic—expansion took place. At the 15th summit in Johannesburg in August 2023, the admission of six new members was approved. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates joined. Argentina, which had also been invited, withdrew its application for membership, while Saudi Arabia postponed its decision. In 2025, Indonesia also joined the group as a full member.

The BRICS expansion is a clear expression of the group’s growing self-confidence. According to Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the newBRICS+ group represents up to 37 percent of global gross domestic product and 46 percent of the world’s population. The expansion is seen as a step toward bringing the perspectives of the Global South more firmly into the center of global discussions. About 40 other countries have expressed interest in membership.

This development marks a significant shift in the group’s motivation. Jim O’Neill’s original concept of the BRIC countries was based purely on economic forecasts. The recent expansion—particularly the inclusion of geopolitically significant countries such as Iran and Ethiopia—underscores that the criteria extend beyond mere economic power. The group has evolved from an investor acronym into a deliberate geopolitical actor. The selection of new members is strategically motivated to increase global relevance, even if this jeopardizes internal cohesion on both the economic and political levels.

To channel the growing demand for membership, a new category of “partner countries” was created at the 2024 summit in Kazan, enabling BRICS states to cooperate with other countries without having to admit them as full members immediately. The creation of this partner status—to which Nigeria and Thailand were also invited—is a pragmatic step. It is a tiered model of coalition-building that expands the group’s reach without immediately paralyzing its decision-making due to the potential conflicts associated with full membership.

But what does this rise of the Global South mean for the international order?
Why are more and more countries seeking to align themselves with BRICS?
And how does the new partner status alter the balance of power within this growing coalition?

Our event will examine the geopolitical motives behind the latest wave of expansion, how BRICS+ challenges the global architecture, and what this new era of the alliance means for us. 

Speakers:Prof. Dr. Kai Koddenbrock(Bielefeld University),Dr. Sabine Morky(University of Hamburg, Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy),Prof. Dr. Klaus Schlichte(University of Bremen) 

Moderator:André Schünke (NDR)

Responsible: Dr. Matthias Greite