SHANGHAI, August 17. /TASS/. The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) are to some extent serving as a new driving force behind a reformation of the existing world order and global governance, but their international influence is not weighty enough to effect real change, Niu Haibin, head of Institute of Foreign Policy Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told TASS.
"Since the BRICS countries include Brazil, India and South Africa, which are outside of the existing order, the BRICS countries are to some extent acting as a driving force, or rather a new emerging force, for the reformation of the existing international order and global governance," the expert said.
This new emerging force, according to the Chinese scholar, also has aspirations to reform the order now dominated by the US and Europe through institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and NATO. "I believe that BRICS cooperation is also a complementary mechanism to the existing international order and global governance. Because, although these countries have a desire to change and reform the existing order, given their capabilities their international influence is still relatively limited," the expert opined.
In this regard, the researcher pointed out that there is no clear consensus within the BRICS group itself on the issue of Brazil, India and South Africa being granted permanent seats on the UN Security Council. Moreover, despite the BRICS countries' attempts to promote reforms in the IMF and the World Bank, decisions on key issues in these structures are still in the hands of the US and Europe. At the same time, Niu pointed out that the BRICS countries could find consensus on a number of issues related to security in Central Asia, as well as on promoting sustainable development, including through the New Development Bank established by the BRICS countries.
"Therefore, I believe that the change in the world order will ultimately depend on the change in the balance of power in the international arena," the expert said, adding that this is a long-term process. "The current influence of the BRICS countries on the international order still lies in the fact that they serve as a new force for promoting reforms, but they are not something that could undermine or replace the [current] international order," the expert stressed.
The BRICS summit will be held on August 22-24 in Johannesburg under the presidency of South Africa. According to South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor, the BRICS leaders will discuss the issue of the organization's expansion at the summit. She revealed that 23 countries have submitted formal applications to join the group.