Algeria is permanently abandoning BRICS, according to Tebboune

Joining BRICS was one of the most important goals of the Algerian head of state. To achieve this, Algeria led a major diplomatic campaign to persuade key member states to accept its candidacy. However, during the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Algeria was not chosen to become a new member of this political and economic group.

Indeed, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that BRICS will expand by adding 6 new members from 2024. The newly admitted countries are Argentina, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia. This expansion is the beginning of a new phase for the group.

Algeria, which announced several months ago its intention to join the group of five countries that make up BRICS, was surprised. The rejection of this accession caused a shock wave in the country and great disappointment. For economic experts and the government. The first official reaction to this disappointment was that of Finance Minister Aziz Fayed, who affirmed that Algeria, through its past, political positions, geostrategic location and economy, has its place within the BRICS. He also pointed out that Algeria “took note of the decision announced by the BRICS leaders, inviting six new countries to join the group as a first step, with the possibility of opening the way for other countries in the near future.” Therefore, the minister was confident about the future and maintained hope of soon joining BRICS.

But several weeks after the BRICS decision, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced an unexpected shift in this regard. Speaking to national press editors on Tuesday, October 3, Abdelmadjid Tebboune sought to reassure the country’s economic prospects in a global environment characterized by crisis and recession. He also noted, in response to an editor who mentioned Algeria’s failure to join the group, that BRICS in its current form no longer interests him. According to Abdelmadjid Tebboune, “the BRICS file is permanently closed.”