Saudi Arabia has officially joined the BRICS bloc, marking a notable shift away from its traditional Western allegiances.
The BRICS bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa doubled in size, with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iran, and Ethiopia joining officially this year.
The decision comes as Saudi Arabia, under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS) leadership, seeks to diversify its international partnerships and strengthen its role as a critical player in the evolving global landscape.
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Saudi diversifies strategy
Previously perceived as aligned with the Western camp, Saudi Arabia’s entry into BRICS demonstrates its growing assertiveness and strategic autonomy.
According to Saudi foreign policy analyst Aziz Alghashian, the move is part of a broader shift from reactive foreign policy to a more proactive approach, ultimately altering the Middle East’s geopolitical dynamics and fostering multi-polarity.
Last week, during an address on the country’s state television channel, Saudi’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan described the country’s inclusion in BRICS as a “beneficial and important channel” for enhancing economic and political cooperation.
“This move aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a comprehensive plan to diversify the country’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenue,” explained Alghashian.
The BRICS expansion comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions between the United States and China.
Despite maintaining strong ties with the U.S., Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of its path reflects concerns about the changing dynamics of Gulf security commitments from Washington.
As Saudi Arabia’s largest oil customer, China has been advocating for the expansion of BRICS to counterbalance Western influence.
Including Saudi Arabia is expected to strengthen the group’s ambition to champion the Global South.
Alghashian notes that Saudi Arabia’s shift to BRICS is a strategic move to diversify its international options, saying this decision would enhance Saudi Arabia’s bargaining power and align with its overarching strategy of diversification.
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Professor Emeritus of International Law and former Director of the Institute of Foreign and Comparative Law, Andre Thomashausen, offered insights into what to expect from Saudi Arabia’s membership.
He highlighted Saudi Arabia’s potential financial backing for the bloc, emphasising the country’s commitment to economic viability and sustainability when providing financial support.
“It will not simply plough money into mismanaged projects or bail out corrupt political structures. He explains that Saudi Arabia believes in economic viability, and it will disappoint those who see it as a source for easy funding of insolvent ventures resulting from long-term systemic economic problems,” he explains.
“On the positive side, it can be expected that Saudi Arabia will be keen to improve agricultural technologies and outputs and enter into joint ventures for large-scale farming”.
Thomashausen also discussed the possible impact on the New Development Bank (NDB), stating that Saudi Arabia’s involvement could lead to capital injections, provided the bank undergoes necessary reforms to become more competitive and less susceptible to political pressure.
“Thus far, the NDB has not been able to offer competitive interest rates for loans and has remained a comparatively small and weak development bank.
“Capital injections from Saudi Arabia can be expected but only on condition that the management of the bank will become more competitive, less prone to political pressure, and modernised”.
Thomashausen also dismissed the notion of Saudi Arabia being a threat to China. Instead, he emphasised the potential for a mutually beneficial partnership, particularly in supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
As Saudi Arabia officially becomes a member of BRICS, the geopolitical landscape continues to shift, ushering in a new era of alliances and partnerships in the international arena.
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