Yesterday marked the commencement of two global summits – one held by the Commonwealth in Samoa and the other hosted by Russia in Kazan, featuring the BRICS nations, namely Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, have chosen to attend the Russian meet, signalling a significant evolution of global power structures, a declining imperial influence and an increase in platforms encouraging cooperative understandings amongst the rising economies.
Embracing inclusivity, the Commonwealth, which comprises 56 nations and a population of 2.7 billion, will undergo a name change to the “Commonwealth of Nations”. It aims to give equal importance to all member countries, including Britain, whilst placing emphasis on social inclusion, economic growth, beneficial governance, and environmental preservation. However, its colonial past remains an issue, with calls for British reparations for slavery becoming more prominent – a topic that has caused King Charles III discomfort during his trip in Australia.
The BRICS group, on the other hand, despite being an alliance that sometimes grapples with internal difficulties, has grown this year to incorporate Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, thus representing nearly 50% of the global population and contributing to over 35% of the world’s economic output. The majority of this output comes from China.
Under the influence of Russia and China, BRICS strives to act as a global alternative to Western power, both economically and politically. The alliance endeavours to enhance their say and impact in multinational organisations such as the UN and IMF. However, it’s unlikely that Russia will completely dominate the group – it may seek support for its war in Ukraine, but convincing major democratic countries like India, Brazil, and South Africa to adopt a confrontational approach towards the US may be challenging. For these countries, membership of the BRICS consortium offers an opportunity to maintain neutrality between Beijing and Washington in an era of fluctuating global alliances.