If accepted, the new proposed BRICS members would create an entity with a GDP 30% larger than the United States, over 50% of the global population and in control of 60% of global gas reserves.

Concerning a BRICS expansion, Lavrov stated that Algeria,Argentina, and Iran had all applied, while it is already known that Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt and Afghanistan are interested, along with Indonesia, which is expected to make a formal application to join at the upcoming G20 summit in Bali.

Other likely contenders for membership include Kazakhstan, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Senegal, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. All had their FMs present at the BRICS Expansion meeting.

Possession of large volumes of global natural resources :

These countries possess nearly all global resources, including precious metals, rare earths, other rare minerals, energy resources such as coal and solar power, timber, agricultural land, fisheries, and fresh water.

Soft power also resides in the numerous political and trade blocs that permeate amongst members, key among them being the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with strategic OPEC decision makers. Hand in hand with these are significant free trade blocs: ASEAN, Mercosur, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab Trade Zone, Eurasian Economic Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area in addition to RCEP and to a lesser degree, the regional politically influential ALBA and SAARC.

Such a grouping is geo-physically diverse as well, with BRICS+ potential members able to wield considerable influence in their own backyard: Argentina, and Brazil in Latin America, Nicaragua in Central America, Algeria,Egypt ,Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in MENA, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa in Africa, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Russia in Central Asia, India Indonesia and Thailand from South East Asia, and China in East Asia.

Original Article by :www.silkroadbriefing.com