https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:44:50 +0000 en-GB Middle East Monitor 30 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com 32 32 116394717 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230803-brazil-president-supports-accession-of-saudi-arabia-uae-to-brics/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 11:41:45 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657845 Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has expressed his support for more countries joining the BRICS group. Lula said in the capital, Brasilia, yesterday that he supports countries such as Argentina, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joining the group. BRICS, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is due to hold a summit in Johannesburg from 22-24 August. He also described the seven leading industrialised countries as a "club" that should not exist, considering that its form in terms of geopolitical affairs is outdated. The UK, US, France, Italy, Japan, Canada and Germany make up the group of Western industrialised countries, known as the G7. Some 22 countries have "formally" asked to join the BRICS group, while […]]]> 657845 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230802-will-egypts-coup-leader-escape-scrutiny-in-south-africa/ Wed, 02 Aug 2023 18:09:42 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657515 Has South Africa overlooked Egypt's problematic participation at the forthcoming BRICS summit? Dignifying its military leader Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi with the expected red-carpet treatment will in effect be an endorsement of regime change via military coup, which is how Cairo's despot overthrew the democratically elected Morsi government to gain power. This month marks a decade since Al-Sisi appeared on TV in a military beret to announce the constitution's suspension and the end of Morsi's presidency. RSF (Reporters Without Borders) documents that as he spoke, security forces were preparing to storm the Cairo bureaus of the Qatari TV channels Al-Jazeera and Al-Jazeera Mubasher and arrest their journalists. That same evening, Al-Sisi's military goons led a purge against many more media outlets and shut them down for allegedly supporting Mohamed Morsi's party, […]]]> 657515 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230725-brics-endorses-the-defunct-two-state-compromise/ Tue, 25 Jul 2023 15:09:43 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=655015 The BRICS Summit in South Africa has given further unwarranted validation to the two-state compromise for Palestine-Israel. The Palestinian Authority's official news agency Wafa promoted the reaffirmation by international diplomacy as calling for "the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital." While BRICS is seen as an economic alternative – 22 countries have formally applied to join the bloc, while another 20 have expressed interest – its diplomacy for Palestine only promises more of the same defunct premises which have accelerated Israel's settler-colonial expansion on Palestinian territory. Economic inequalities may be addressed through BRICS, although the number of countries applying or expressing interest will inevitably veer the group away from the alternative economic policies which […]]]> 655015 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230722-algeria-president-country-applied-to-join-brics-offered-1-5bn/ Sat, 22 Jul 2023 09:02:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654442 Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced on Friday that his country had submitted a request to be a shareholder in the BRICS group to the amount of $1.5 billion. President Tebboune revealed, for the first time, the value of the contribution in an interview with China Central Television broadcast on Friday. Tebboune disclosed: "We officially applied to join the BRICS group, we sent a letter asking to be shareholder members of the bank… Algeria's first contribution to the bank will be $1.5 billion." The BRICS Bank, formerly referred to as the New Development Bank, is run by BRICS countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, with its headquarters in Shanghai, China. READ: Algeria President to pay 2-day visit to Turkiye The […]]]> 654442 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230721-south-africa-22-countries-officially-requested-to-join-brics-group/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 13:06:30 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654338 Some 22 countries have "formally" asked to join the BRICS group, while an equal number has informally expressed interest in joining the bloc, South Africa announced yesterday. BRICS, a bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is due to hold a summit from 22-24 August in South Africa and has previously hinted that it was open to expansion. South Africa's top diplomat in charge of relations with the bloc, Anil Sooklal,  told reporters in Johannesburg that 22 countries have officially asked to join the BRICS group while there was "an equal number of countries have informally expressed interest in becoming BRICS members … [including] all the major global south countries." READ: BRICS summit issues special resolution in favour of […]]]> 654338 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230721-brics-summit-issues-special-resolution-in-favour-of-palestine/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 11:35:50 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654329 The BRICS summit called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, the Wafa news agency reported. BRICS, a bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, issued a resolution following its conference in the South African capital, Pretoria, yesterday calling for the implementation of United Nations and UN Security Council resolutions related to the Palestinian issue, including Resolution No. 2334 on the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict within the framework of the two-state solution, by establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. A delegation from the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), headed by Azzam Al-Ahmad, and senior Palestinian diplomat Salman Al-Harfi attended yesterday's session. On the sidelines of the conference, the delegation […]]]> 654329 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230714-irans-diplomatic-drive-raisis-focus-on-the-global-south/ Fri, 14 Jul 2023 07:55:35 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=652188 It's been quite a busy year for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in terms of diplomatic engagement. In February he made an official state visit to China, where 20 agreements were signed, in addition to receiving pledges from President Xi Jinping to strengthen security and economic cooperation – more on that later. Beijing was also the venue where Raisi's administration agreed to resume diplomatic relations with regional rival Saudi Arabia the following month. In May, Raisi visited close regional ally Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and signed long-term cooperation agreements. During his visit, Raisi also symbolically prayed at the historic Umayyad Mosque, achieving a gesture that Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once famously vowed to do in 2014 at the height of […]]]> 652188 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230630-what-connects-algeria-russia-and-tunisia/ Fri, 30 Jun 2023 10:30:00 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=648269 Tunisian President Kais Saied followed his friend, the Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's visit to Moscow, and the manner in which Russian President Vladimir Putin received him, which indicated much respect and appreciation. Saied has had a strong relationship with Tebboune from the beginning, and the number of visits he made to Algeria is the greatest proof of this. One of Saied's wishes is to visit Moscow, to establish close relations with the master of the Kremlin, and to continue onto Beijing so that he can be freed from Western pressures, which he believes interfere in Tunisia's affairs and prevent him from having sole authority. Tebboune's visit to Moscow may open the way for the Tunisian president to achieve his aims. […]]]> 648269 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230624-weighing-expansion-brics-increasingly-draws-membership-requests/ Sat, 24 Jun 2023 15:36:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646894 The BRICS group, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, continues to attract applications from numerous countries as it explores expansion opportunities, Anadolu Agency reports. Anadolu compiled the developments regarding the enlargement process of BRICS. Amid the search for a multipolar world, Brazil, Russia, India and China laid the foundations in 2009, with South Africa joining in 2010. BRICS, while criticising the unequal structures and resolutions of the Group of Seven (G-7) and the UN Security Council, calls for reforms in international structures and norms to establish a multipolar order. With a combined population representing nearly 42 per cent of the world's population, the BRICS countries control 18 per cent of global exports. The collective gross domestic product (GDP) of […]]]> 646894 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230615-tebboune-urges-acceleration-of-algeria-brics-accession-process/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 14:49:30 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=644998 Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has called for an acceleration of Algeria's accession process to BRICS, a bloc composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Anadolu Agency reports. During a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Moscow on Thursday, Tebboune expressed his intentions regarding Algeria's potential membership in BRICS. He said, once Algeria becomes a member of BRICS, it would facilitate the process of switching to payments "not in dollars, not in Euros". Tebboune thanked Putin for the military cooperation, saying Russia's support is "crucial" for maintaining Algeria's independence in the current conditions. READ: BRICS foreign ministers pledge to build up New Development Bank "As for the geopolitical situation and relations here, we should touch on the Libyan […]]]> 644998 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230612-iran-saudi-arabia-ties-what-comes-next-after-smooth-restart/ Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:00:56 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=644162 Less than three months after agreeing to restore diplomatic ties, long-time regional rivals, Iran and Saudi Arabia, have recently taken another significant step toward full reconciliation. In the presence of senior officials from both sides, the Iranian Embassy in the affluent diplomatic enclave in north-western Riyadh was re-opened last week, seven years after it was locked down. A day later, Iran's Consulate-General and its permanent mission to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the port city of Jeddah were also re-opened. The Consulate-General in Jeddah had been active ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, but a formal re-opening took place on Wednesday in the presence of Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Alireza Begdali, and other officials. Although Saudi Arabia is […]]]> 644162 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230602-brics-foreign-ministers-pledge-to-build-up-new-development-bank/ Fri, 02 Jun 2023 19:25:07 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=642200 The foreign ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – BRICS – said that building up the New Development Bank is one of their priorities, Anadolu Agency reports. In a statement on its official website, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, following the 2-day meeting in Cape Town, the ministers agreed to ensure the sustainability of operational activities of the Bank, established by BRICS countries in 2015, to finance infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the developing and member countries. On the second day, June 2, an expanded meeting was also held with the participation of the foreign ministries of 12 developing countries – the "friends of BRICS" – Argentina, Bangladesh, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, […]]]> 642200 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230602-brics-meet-with-friends-seeking-closer-ties-amid-push-to-expand-bloc/ Fri, 02 Jun 2023 16:40:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=642181 Senior officials from more than a dozen countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, were in talks on forging closer links with the BRICS bloc of major emerging economies on Friday, as it met to deepen ties and position itself as a counter-weight to the West, Reuters reports. BRICS, which now consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is considering expanding its membership, and a growing number of countries have expressed interest in joining. Once viewed as a loose association of disparate emerging economies, BRICS has, in recent years, taken more concrete shape, driven initially by China and, since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022, with added impetus from Russia. In remarks opening Friday's discussions, host […]]]> 642181 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230602-brics-foreign-ministers-gather-in-south-africa/ Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:34:44 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=642177 A meeting of foreign ministers of BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – countries was held in Cape Town, South Africa on Friday, Anadolu Agency reports. Hosted by South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Naledi Pandor, the meeting gathered Brazilian Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. The ministers addressed regional and global issues, the UN Security Council reform, protection of multilateralism, security, sustainable development, counter-terrorism, climate, energy security and mutual cooperation. Unilateral international sanctions' violation of international law and their effects on the world economy were also discussed. The meeting also addressed introducing a common currency for the BRICS countries and […]]]> 642177 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230522-as-19-countries-seek-to-join-brics-is-the-world-experiencing-a-change-in-the-balance-of-power/ Mon, 22 May 2023 13:13:18 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=638270 Since its formation in 2006, the BRICS group has only accepted one new member in 2010. Now, 19 countries have formally or informally approached the body to become members as it prepares to hold its annual summit in South Africa. Five Arab countries are among those who have expressed their interest in joining the BRICS group, South Africa's Ambassador Anil Sooklal said in an interview. Saudi Arabia and Iran have made formal requests to join, while the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain and Algeria have joined Argentina and Indonesia and a number of African states in expressing an interest in joining. "What will be discussed is the expansion of Brics and the modalities of how this will happen," Sooklal said. "Thirteen countries […]]]> 638270 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230428-egypt-saudi-uae-algeria-bahrain-seek-to-join-brics-bloc/ Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:48:32 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=631965 Five Arab countries are among 19 who have expressed their interest in joining the BRICS group, Bloomberg reported. Anil Sooklal, South Africa's ambassador to the group, said that the emerging market bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa would meet in Cape Town on 2-3 June to discuss its expansion. "What will be discussed is the expansion of the BRICS group and the way this can be achieved." "Thirteen countries have formally requested to join, while six others have informally requested. We receive requests to join every day," he added. China launched discussions on expansion when it chaired the BRICS group last year, as it attempts to build a diplomatic influence to counter the dominance of developed countries […]]]> 631965 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230413-the-rise-of-the-south-can-brics-weaken-the-dominance-of-the-world-bank-and-imf/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:40:28 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=628837 Who would have expected that the BRICS nations could rise and become the potential rival of the G7 countries, the World Bank and the IMF combined? That once seemingly distant possibility now has real prospects which could change the equilibrium of world politics. BRICS — an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — was supposedly coined by the Chief Economist of Goldman Sachs in 2001, as a reference to the world's emerging economies. It was then known as BRIC; the "S" came later, when South Africa formally joined the group in 2010. The group's first official summit was held in 2009. Back then, the discussion seemed largely abstract. It wasn't until 2014 that BRICS began taking serious […]]]> 628837 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230310-brics-bank-ndb-to-change-its-brazilian-head-at-governments-request/ Fri, 10 Mar 2023 15:56:56 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=620915 The New Development Bank, the multilateral bank set up by the BRICS states, said on Friday it had agreed to elect a new Brazilian Head at the request of the government of Brazil's new President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Reuters reports. Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the NDB until 6 July, 2025. NDB said the Bank's current President, Marcos Troyjo, would step down by 24 March and the NDB's governors would elect a successor nominated by Brazil to complete the term. READ: Israel urges Brazil to undock Iranian warships Lula has proposed former Brazilian President, Dilma Rousseff, to head the Bank, which the BRICS group of emerging economies set up in 2015. Lula is including Rousseff in his delegation […]]]> 620915 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230216-brics-discussing-decision-on-saudi-arabia-iran-memberships-this-year/ Thu, 16 Feb 2023 18:30:57 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=615664 The BRICS group of nations is to decide this year on whether to admit new member states into the bloc, as Saudi Arabia and Iran formally seek to join. According to South Africa's ambassador to BRICS, Anil Sooklal, the proposal to expand the bloc will be one of its main focuses this year. Speaking in an interview with the Russian news agency, TASS, this week, Sooklal said that at a meeting "in early February in South Africa, we started discussing the expansion of BRICS, thus beginning to carry out the decision made in June 2022 at the BRICS summit to develop criteria for accepting new countries into the group." Another three meetings will be held within the next three months […]]]> 615664