List of BRICS Countries: Name, Summit Details and Chairmanship

The BRICS is an intergovernmental organization consisting of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group was established in 2006 to strengthen cooperation among members in economic, political and cultural fields.

current member

  • Brazil
  • Russia
  • India
  • China
  • South Africa
  • New members (effective January 1, 2024):
    • Iran
    • Egypt
    • Ethiopia
    • United Arab Emirates
    • Saudi Arabia (to be confirmed)

BRICS leaders meeting

Since its establishment, the BRICS has held annual summits hosted by member states in turn. The following is a summary of the summit details:

Year

host country

date

Chairmanship

2009

Yekaterinburg, Russia

June 16

Dmitry Medvedev

2010

brasilia brazil

April 15

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

2011

Sanya, China

April 14

Hu Jintao

2012

New Delhi, India

March 29

Manmohan Singh

2013

Durban, South Africa

March 26-27

Jacob Zuma

2014

Fortaleza, Brazil

July 15-17

Dilma Rousseff

2015

Ufa, Russia

July 8-9

Vladimir Putin

2016

indian bushland

October 15-16

Narendra Modi

2017

Xiamen, China

September 3-5

Xi Jinping

2018

Johannesburg, South Africa

July 25-27

Cyril Ramaphosa

2019

brasilia brazil

November 13-14

Jair Bolsonaro

2020

St. Petersburg, Russia (Virtual)

July

Vladimir Putin

2021

New Delhi, India

September

Narendra Modi

2022

Beijing, China (virtual)

June 23

Xi Jinping

2023

Johannesburg, South Africa

August 22-24

Cyril Ramaphosa

2024

Kazan, Russia

October 22-25

Vladimir Putin

Chairman rotation

The chairmanship of the BRICS is rotated among member countries every year. Russia currently holds the 2024 presidency, with President Vladimir Putin leading the agenda.

The BRICS countries are an alliance of emerging economies, accounting for nearly 43% of the world’s population and about 30% of the world’s GDP. The organization aims to provide a platform for dialogue and cooperation among emerging economies, increase their influence in global affairs, and promote sustainable development initiatives.

Chairmanship

Russian President and host Vladimir Putin will chair the summit. This year, Russia aims to focus on strengthening cooperation in three key areas:

  • politics and security
  • Economics and Finance
  • cultural and humanitarian links

Goals and themes

During the summit, Russia intends to:

  • Enhance the role of BRICS countries in the international financial system.
  • Promote cooperation among member banks and expand the use of BRICS currencies.
  • Promote cooperation between tax and customs authorities.

Impact on the decision-making process of new member BRICS countries

By 2024, the addition of new members to the BRICS group will significantly change the composition of decision-making within the group in the following ways:

Increased diversity and complexity

Heterogeneity: Political, economic and socio-cultural aspects and perspectives become wider with the addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The challenge of building consensus

As membership increases, the group’s ability to agree on common political positions may also become increasingly elusive. The BRICS countries have so far been operating on a consensus decision-making mechanism; however, with expansion, there may be internal opposition, thus affecting cooperation and exchanges.

Strategic goals and intrinsic motivation

The new BRICS countries must set strategic goals and formulate a comprehensive agenda to help gather collective action. Without a clear framework for cooperation and criteria for future expansion, the group will become fragmented, with fragmented interests overwhelming collective goals. As the main players in the BRICS, the power game between China and India will also determine the direction of the BRICS’ struggle for leadership.

Increased global influence

Overall, the enlarged BRICS countries now account for a sizeable share (approximately 37.3%) of global GDP and population. These economic forces therefore allow the bloc to bargain for a higher level of international order and increase its influence in global governance structures. However, the new member’s contribution to cumulative GDP is only about 4%, so its impact may be mainly reflected in political influence rather than strictly economic strength.

Impact on global governance

The enlarged BRICS may become a source of impetus for the reform of international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, calling on developing countries to increase their representation. However, this will depend on overcoming internal challenges and aligning with common goals.

As the BRICS countries continue to expand, their potential to reshape global governance is also growing. The addition of new members such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt marks the group’s shift toward greater political influence, although the group’s ability to remain united across diverse interests will be critical to its future success in international affairs.