Global Perspectives on BRICS+

The expansion of BRICS to BRICS+ caused a stir in global political debates. Before its enlargement, the group had already positioned itself as a significant power and a challenger to the traditional Western-centric global order; since then, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have been invited to join, triggering further questions amongst observers. Will BRICS+ catch up with the Group of 7, not only economically but also geopolitically, and continue to grow its global influence? Or has it already begun to outwit the traditional powers by offering new cooperation models to countries that have long been at the margins of global politics? As the BRICS Summit set for October 2024 in Kazan, Russia, approaches, our regional and global experts will engage with these questions and also offer insights into the perspectives of old, new, and potential member countries, as well as into internal group dynamics. How does the inclusion of new members shift the balance of power within BRICS? Why do countries choose to align themselves with BRICS+ and other international coalitions? Will BRICS+ be further expanded? Join us and our global audience on 4 September 2024 to discuss the implications for foreign policy in Germany, Europe, and beyond. Please register to attend in our Berlin Office or online.

Panelists: Prof. Dr. Miriam Prys-Hansen is the Head of the Research Programme “Global Orders and Foreign Policies” at the GIGA and Honorary Professor at the University of Lüneburg.

Dr. Johannes Petry is Principal Investigator of the StateCapFinance Project at Goethe University Frankfurt.

Mona Saleh is a Research Fellow at the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies and a Doctoral Student at the GIGA Doctoral Programme and the University of Lüneburg.

Diba Mirzaei is a Doctoral Researcher at the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies. Richard Cuntz works in the Policy Planning Division of the German Federal Foreign Office (FFO), where he focuses on various issues, including global governance. Previously, he served at the German Consulate General in Shanghai, worked as an officer on EU trade policy at the FFO, and was part of the External Economic Policy Division at the Federation of German Industries (BDI).

Moderator: Julia Ganter is the Programme Director of the Körber Emerging Middle Powers Initiative and Editor-in-Chief of The Berlin Pulse.