Nigeria joins BRICS as ‘partner country’
President Donald Trump repeated threats of 100% tariffs against BRICS nations, should they take steps to lessen their reliance on the US dollar.
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Stephen Grootes speaks to Professor David Monyae, an international relations and foreign policy expert, about Nigeria joining BRICS.
Listen below:
US President Donald Trump may this week have erroneously added Spain to the list of BRICS member states, but Nigeria has, this past weekend, fully and formally joined the bloc.
It becomes the ninth partner country of BRICS, alongside Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
BRICS was formed in 2009 and originally included emerging economies Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined the organisation in 2010.
Monyae says with Nigeria as the fourth African country to join the bloc, the nature of BRICS is changing.
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"What we are seeing is the expansion, and my own prediction is it will go beyond the Global South, including some of the countries in the Global North."
- Prof David Monyae
BRICS is not an ideological forum, says Monaye, but rather has to do with the change of the current international order and the demands made by developing countries.
"In that equation, Nigeria is quite critical, not only for Africa but for the whole world."
- Prof David Monyae
Moreover, says Monyae, membership of the bloc automatically leads to more trade for those countries who join.
"It's the closeness and frequent interaction of the heads of state and government with the summits, and they go beyond BRICS."
- Prof David Monyae
Following his inauguration this week, US President Donald Trump reiterated threats of 100% tariffs against BRICS should it decide against using the US dollar.
"I think President Trump will find out quite soon that the ground has shifted on the world stage. The United States is still the strongest and most powerful country, but I think with time, some of the major pillars of US power are being chipped."
- Prof David Monyae
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