Behind Prabowo's ambition to join BRICS, the Xi Jinping-Putin Cs gang

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Indonesia has finally officially submitted an expression of interest to join the group of economically developing countries, namely BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).

This declaration of interest in joining was conveyed directly by Indonesian Foreign Minister Suiono during the BRICS Plus Summit (Summit) in Kazan, Russia on October 24, 2024. He acted as special presidential envoy during of this meeting.

“It is an honor for me, as the special envoy of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, to announce Indonesia's intention to join BRICS and become a member,” Sugiono said in his speech during the meeting, quoted Monday (10/28/2024). .

Prabowo's decision to bring Indonesia to join BRICS was made quickly, as he was only sworn in as President of Indonesia on October 20, 2024. This means that after just four days as as president, he already wanted to include Indonesia in a certain group of countries. .

In fact, in 2023, Indonesia received an offer to join BRICS, but the response given by the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, was that he wanted to first study the benefits and said he didn't want to rush. .

Behind this, Sugiono actually also expressed a number of intentions or reasons why Prabowo wants to integrate Indonesia into the bloc of countries formed by the Russia-China CS in his speech at the BRICS Plus summit in Kazan.

First, it wishes to participate with BRICS and other member countries, namely Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Congo, to advance the interests of the countries in development or the global South.

“In this way, we can better support the BRICS efforts to advance the interests and objectives of the countries of the South and also contribute to the maintenance of a world order based on freedom, lasting peace and social justice,” he said. Sugiono said.

Secondly, Prabowo considers that BRICS has main priorities that correspond to the work priorities of the Red and White Cabinet, namely ensuring food and energy security in each country, as well as eradicating poverty and developing human resources.

Within this bloc, Indonesia also wishes to defend the right to sustainable development of developing countries. According to Prabowo, developing countries need policy space, while developed countries need to fulfill their various commitments.

Third, through BRICS, Prabowo also wants to support the creation of a reform of the multilateral system to make it more inclusive, representative and in line with current realities. International institutions must be strengthened and adequately resourced to fulfill their mandate of creating global peace.

Finally, it is a force for unity and solidarity between the countries of the South. Prabowo believes that BRICS can serve as a glue to strengthen cooperation among developing countries.

Sugiono also emphasized that Prabowo truly wants to implement the principle of a free and active foreign policy during his rule. Thus, by joining BRICS, Indonesia will actively and freely engage in all global blocs or forums and remain guided by the principle of non-alignment.

“Indonesia's membership in BRICS is the embodiment of a free and active foreign policy. This does not mean that we join a certain camp, but rather that we actively participate in all forums,” Sugiono stressed.

Therefore, Sugiono emphasized, Prabowo will also continue to participate in various other forums in which there are groups of developed or northern countries, as well as other forums that Indonesia has been a part of for a long time, such as the G20. The aim is to continue to position Indonesia as a bridge builder or bridge between developing and developed countries.

“Next month, Mr. President will attend the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, while I have also been invited to attend the expanded foreign ministers-level meeting of the expanded session of the G7 group developed countries in Fiuggi, Italy,” Sugiono said.

BRICS is an informal group whose members were originally Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and was formed based on a study by Jim O'Neill, former president of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, in the form of a book entitled The Growth Map. : Economic Opportunity in the BRICs and Beyond (2011).

This group was first created in 2006 to discuss current global issues. Its membership was expanded in 2023 with the membership of Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Member countries now represent more than US$28.5 trillion, or approximately 28% of the global economy.

(arj/arj)

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