Algeria, long considered a serious candidate to join the BRICS, has finally decided to distance itself from this group of emerging countries. This “definitive” decision was confirmed by the daily El Moudjahid, citing a government source.
BRICS, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, represents an economic and political alliance of emerging countries, which seeks to have greater influence on the international scene. Algeria saw this group as a springboard to diversify its trading partners and strengthen its regional influence. But its application for membership was rejected in August 2023, to everyone’s surprise.
According to the newspaper El Moudjahid, the government has decided to no longer submit an application to become a full member of BRICS. This announcement puts an end to speculation regarding a possible integration into the group. “For the Algerian authorities, the BRICS membership file is closed,” indicates the government newspaper.
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Reasons for withdrawal
Several factors explain this change of direction. One of the main elements is the rejection of Algeria’s request at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg in 2023, where six new members were accepted, but not Algeria. This exclusion was seen as a negative signal by the Algerian authorities, who expected their country to be included because of its considerable economic assets.
The criteria for joining BRICS have also raised questions. Algeria judged that the integration process lacked transparency and that the criteria applied were inconsistent. This lack of clarity has reinforced frustration within the Algerian government, which believes that BRICS does not meet initial expectations of inclusiveness.
The move also raised fears about the credibility of BRICS as an organization meant to challenge the global economic order established by institutions like the IMF and the World Bank. The existence of political maneuvering acting for external entities weakens the initial BRICS project and calls into question their ability to act as a credible alternative to the great Western powers.
Algeria keeps its allies within BRICS
Indeed, Algeria believes that there are unofficial diplomatic obstacles that influenced this decision. According to some sources, an influential BRICS member vetoed Algeria’s membership, acting under the influence of a Gulf emirate. Algeria does have complex relations with some Middle Eastern nations, which may have played a role in its exclusion.
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Despite its decision not to join BRICS, Algeria is not severing its ties with member countries. The country continues to cooperate with these nations in various international forums such as the United Nations Security Council and the Group of 77. Algeria continues to strengthen its relations with powers like China and Russia, which are also influential members BRICS. These countries are privileged as strategic partners for Algeria, particularly in the energy and defense sectors. By maintaining these strong relations, Algeria retains important diplomatic leverage despite its withdrawal from the BRICS accession process.
