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Indonesia still weighing its option before joining BRICS: Jokowi
In a statement published after his speech at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, President Jokowi said Indonesia has no interest in applying for membership and that his presence at the meeting was to boost solidarity among the world's developing nations.
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President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo (center) and Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan join the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa on Aug. 24, 2023. (The Jakarta Post/Presidential Palace)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on Thursday that Indonesia was in no rush to join BRICS and that his administration is still weighing the pros and cons of joining the bloc.
In a statement published after his speech at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, President Jokowi said Indonesia had no interest in applying for membership and that his presence at the meeting was to boost solidarity among the world's developing nations.
"To apply for membership you have to show an expression of interest and we haven't sent the letter," Jokowi said.
On Thursday, the BRICS bloc of developing nations, made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, agreed to admit Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates in a move aimed at accelerating its push to reshuffle a world order it sees as outdated.
In deciding in favor of an expansion, the bloc's first in 13 years, BRICS leaders left the door open to future enlargement as dozens more countries voiced interest in joining a grouping they hope can level the global playing field.
"This membership expansion is historic," Chinese President Xi Jinping, the bloc's most stalwart proponent of enlargement, said. "It shows the determination of BRICS countries for unity and cooperation with the broader developing countries."
Ian Bremmer, head of political risk consultancy Eurasia, said on social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, he saw Indonesia and Saudi Arabia as the most likely to join the group in the near term.
