Published: 09:36 AM, 14 August 2026
The Future of BRICS Is Still To Become Fortified
Donna Patricia
The international order is passing through a period of profound transformation. Economic power is shifting, geopolitical alliances are being reconsidered, and developing countries are demanding a greater voice in global decision-making. In this changing environment, BRICS has emerged as one of the most important platforms representing the aspirations of emerging economies. Yet, despite its growing influence and expanding membership, the future of BRICS is still to become fortified.
Originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining later, BRICS was created around a simple but ambitious idea: the global economic and political system should give greater recognition to emerging powers. Over the years, the grouping has developed into a significant forum for cooperation on trade, finance, development, technology and international affairs. Its expansion has further increased its geographical and economic significance.
However, size alone does not guarantee strength. The real challenge before BRICS is to transform its growing membership and economic potential into a durable institution capable of producing concrete results. For that, the grouping will need stronger coordination, greater economic integration and a clearer long-term vision.
One of the strongest arguments for the future of BRICS is its economic weight. Its members collectively represent a substantial share of the world's population and an increasingly important portion of global economic activity. Several member countries are major producers of energy, food, minerals, industrial goods and technology. This diversity gives BRICS the potential to create an enormous economic network connecting different regions of the developing world.
The expansion of the grouping could make this potential even greater. More members mean access to larger markets, additional sources of investment and wider opportunities for trade. If these countries can reduce unnecessary barriers and improve transportation, payment systems and financial cooperation, BRICS could become an increasingly important economic platform.
But economic cooperation remains easier to discuss than to implement. BRICS members have different economic structures, development priorities and trade policies. Some are major exporters of manufactured goods, while others depend heavily on energy or raw-material exports. Their currencies, financial systems and investment regulations also differ considerably. Turning these differences into a coherent economic partnership will require patience and practical diplomacy.
The question of currency and financial cooperation is particularly important. The dominance of the US dollar in international trade and finance has long been discussed by BRICS members. Several countries have expressed interest in conducting more trade in national currencies and developing alternative payment mechanisms. Such measures could reduce transaction costs and exposure to external financial pressures.
However, creating a common BRICS currency would be an extremely complicated undertaking. A successful international currency requires deep financial markets, monetary coordination, political confidence and institutional stability. Rather than pursuing unrealistic goals too quickly, BRICS may gain more by strengthening local-currency trade, improving payment connectivity and expanding financial cooperation step by step.
The New Development Bank represents another important opportunity. Established by BRICS, the institution was designed to finance infrastructure and sustainable development projects. Roads, railways, ports, power plants, digital networks and clean-energy projects remain urgently needed across developing countries. If BRICS can strengthen the bank's capacity and broaden its role, it could provide an alternative source of development finance while supporting economic growth among member and partner countries.
Yet the future of BRICS will depend on more than money. Its political credibility will also be tested by differences among its members. BRICS countries do not share identical foreign-policy interests. They may disagree over international conflicts, security issues, trade disputes and relations with Western powers. These differences cannot simply be ignored.
Indeed, one of BRICS' greatest strengths could be its ability to accommodate disagreement. The grouping does not need to become a military alliance or a bloc opposed to any particular country. Its long-term value may lie precisely in its role as a platform where countries with different political systems and strategic interests can cooperate on areas of common concern.
This makes the principle of strategic autonomy especially important. BRICS can advocate a more representative international system without turning itself into an instrument of confrontation. Its members can support reform of institutions such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank while continuing to engage with countries outside BRICS.
A more representative global order is one of the central arguments behind the grouping. Developing countries have frequently complained that their growing economic importance is not adequately reflected in international institutions. Greater representation in global financial and political bodies could make international decision-making more legitimate.
At the same time, BRICS must demonstrate that it can offer solutions rather than simply criticize existing institutions. If the grouping wants to become a powerful voice for the Global South, it must produce tangible benefits for ordinary people. Increased trade, employment, infrastructure investment, technology transfer, educational cooperation and improved access to finance would give BRICS greater credibility.
Technology could become another major area of cooperation. Artificial intelligence, renewable energy, biotechnology, digital payments, telecommunications and advanced manufacturing are reshaping the global economy. BRICS countries possess considerable scientific and technological capabilities, although these are distributed unevenly. Joint research programmes, university partnerships and technology exchanges could help narrow development gaps.
Climate change also offers an opportunity for cooperation. Many BRICS members are simultaneously major energy producers, rapidly industrializing economies and countries vulnerable to environmental pressures. Their future development will depend on finding a balance between economic growth and environmental responsibility. Cooperation in solar power, wind energy, electric transportation, green hydrogen and climate finance could therefore become an important pillar of the group's future.
Food and energy security should receive similar attention. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent global disruptions demonstrated how vulnerable international supply chains can be. BRICS members could strengthen agricultural cooperation, maintain strategic reserves, improve transport networks and develop more resilient supply chains. Such measures would have direct economic and social benefits.
Nevertheless, institutional weakness remains a major obstacle. BRICS operates differently from organizations with permanent bureaucracies and binding legal structures. This flexibility has helped countries with different interests work together, but it can also make implementation slow. If the grouping continues to expand, it will need better mechanisms for setting priorities, monitoring agreements and ensuring continuity between successive presidencies.
Expansion itself must therefore be managed carefully. Bringing more countries into BRICS can increase its influence, but it can also make consensus more difficult. A larger organization needs clearly defined membership criteria, practical decision-making procedures and a realistic understanding of what cooperation can achieve. Growth should strengthen the organization rather than dilute its purpose.
The future of BRICS will ultimately depend on whether its members can move from symbolism to substance. Annual summits and declarations are valuable, but they cannot substitute for implementation. The real test will be whether agreements lead to new businesses, infrastructure projects, research partnerships, trade opportunities and financial mechanisms.
There is also a need for greater people-to-people cooperation. BRICS should not remain a forum known only to presidents, ministers and diplomats. Students, entrepreneurs, scientists, journalists and civil-society organizations should have more opportunities to interact. Cultural exchanges and academic partnerships could create a deeper foundation for long-term cooperation.
BRICS has already changed the conversation about global power. Its rise reflects the growing confidence of emerging economies and the desire for a more balanced international system. But its journey is far from complete. The grouping possesses enormous demographic, economic and strategic potential, yet potential must be converted into institutions, policies and results.
The future of BRICS, therefore, is still to become fortified. Its strength will not be measured merely by the number of countries under its umbrella or by the size of their combined economies. It will be measured by the quality of their cooperation, their ability to manage differences and their capacity to deliver practical benefits.
If BRICS can strengthen financial cooperation, expand trade, support sustainable development, promote technological exchange and advocate constructive reform of global institutions, it can become a durable pillar of the emerging multipolar world. If internal divisions, weak coordination and ambitious rhetoric continue to overshadow practical action, its promise could remain only partially fulfilled.
The road ahead is neither simple nor certain. But the opportunity is historic. A stronger BRICS could help create a world in which emerging economies have a more meaningful voice, development financing is more diverse, and international cooperation is less dependent on a small number of traditional powers.
For that reason, the next phase of BRICS should not merely be about expansion. It should be about consolidation, credibility and results. Its future will be fortified not by declarations alone, but by the bridges it builds between economies, societies and continents.
Donna Patricia reports for Florida
Tribune from Rabat, Morocco.
