2024-09-03 01:30:03
The efforts of the EU and the United States will be in vain. Ankara has officially requested to join the BRICS group, the English acronym for its first members (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), despite the reluctance of Western governments. Thus, Turkey will become the first member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to join this informal club of southern countries, which is often seen as an alternative to the Group of Seven (Germany, Canada, the United States, France), Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom), whose GDP will soon be surpassed by the BRICS. Bloomberg broke the news on Monday, September 2, citing people familiar with the matter, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkish Presidency neither confirmed nor denied it.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed interest in joining the BRICS several times in the past, but no formal discussions have taken place until recent months. His participation in the 2018 Johannesburg Summit in South Africa initially attracted attention. The acceleration of Turkey’s accession process is evident from the end of 2023.
At the time, BRICS had just announced its intention to double the number of its members, notably inviting Egypt, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. On the Turkish side, several signals from Ankara clearly showed the desire for reconciliation. We talked about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Turkey’s divergence from other NATO members after maintaining close relations with Moscow, as well as the West’s firm support for Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu government in the Gaza war, but not in line with the position of Mr. Erdogan’s Islamist nationalist government. Then, the music continued to rise in Ankara, blaming the Europeans for the lack of progress in the efforts to join the European Union.
On June 3, during a visit to Beijing (the most significant visit by a Turkish official to China since 2012), Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was asked about Turkey’s desire to join the BRICS. “Of course we would. Why not? »he replied hastily. The next day, Moscow welcomed this statement and confirmed through the voice of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov that Russia welcomes Turkey’s wishes and this topic will be discussed at the meeting of BRICS countries in Nizhny Novgorod (Russia) on June 10 and 11.
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Turkey’s Strategic Shift: Erdogan’s Request to Join BRICS
Date: September 3, 2024
Photographer: Murad Setzer/Reuters
In a significant geopolitical shift, Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has officially signaled its intent to join the BRICS grouping—an informal alliance of emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This move positions Turkey as the first member of NATO to integrate into this coalition, despite skepticism from Western powers.
The BRICS Expansion: Turkey’s Strategic Entry
Table of Contents
Until now, Turkey’s aspirations to join the BRICS have remained largely rhetorical. Erdogan has articulated interest multiple times, notably during the 2018 Johannesburg Summit. Recently, however, amidst growing discontent with Western relations and the EU’s stalled membership talks, Turkey’s strategy has shifted toward seeking closer ties with non-Western blocs.
According to reports from Bloomberg on September 2, 2024, Ankara’s foreign policy recalibrations are increasingly apparent in light of the evolving global economic landscape. The BRICS bloc, aimed initially at countering Western financial dominance, has announced its intention to double its membership, recently welcoming nations like Egypt, Iran, and the UAE.
The Context: A Diverging Path from NATO
Turkey’s request to join BRICS comes against a backdrop of deteriorating relations with NATO allies. Divergence has been notably evident following Turkey’s continued engagement with Russia, particularly in the context of the Ukraine crisis. Erdogan’s alignment with Russia contrasts sharply with Western support for Ukraine, creating friction in Turkey’s relationships with NATO allies.
Moreover, Turkey’s frustration with the slow progress of its EU accession talks has fueled its search for alternative alliances. Erdogan has voiced discontent regarding the EU’s hesitance to fully embrace Turkey amidst protests over human rights and political freedoms in the country. These sentiments have prompted Ankara to seek partnerships beyond the Western sphere, potentially reshaping its national strategy.
Economic Implications: The Shift Toward Non-Western Markets
Joining BRICS could provide Turkey with enhanced access to a burgeoning market dominated by developing countries. As the BRICS nations increasingly collaborate on economic initiatives, Erdogan’s government hopes to tap into new avenues for trade and investment, especially at a time when its economy faces inflationary pressures and currency devaluation.
Moreover, as the collective GDP of BRICS nations is poised to surpass that of the G7, Turkey’s participation could facilitate lucrative trade agreements and investment partnerships, particularly in sectors like energy, agriculture, and technology, which align with Erdogan’s economic objectives.
Conclusion: A New Era for Turkish Foreign Policy
Turkey’s pursuit of membership in BRICS signifies more than just economic strategy; it marks a pivotal shift in Turkish foreign policy that favors collaboration with non-Western nations over traditional alliances. As Erdogan’s government gravitates toward an Eastern alignment in pursuit of geopolitical and economic leverage, the implications for NATO and the EU could be profound.
The coming months will be crucial as Turkey navigates this new path, and the responses from NATO and EU countries will likely shape the dynamics of international relations in the region. With the ongoing tensions and evolving geopolitical alliances, Turkey’s potential membership in BRICS presents both a challenge to Western hegemony and an opportunity for Turkey to redefine its role on the global stage.
For further updates on geopolitical changes and economic strategies, stay tuned for more insights and analyses.
