By Areeba Sherwani
Email Id.: areebasherwani16@gmail.com
Research Associate, Ayaan Institute, London, UK
The 16th BRICS summit, through the Kazan Declaration, demonstrated to the US that legitimacy is built through dialogue among many, not edicts from one.
BRICS+ has grown into a non-western bloc representing nations historically subject to Western dominance, coercion, and aggressive tactics. Many BRICS countries that joined or expressing interest in joining come from Asia, Africa and South America, share a legacy of U.S., interventions through sanctions, military actions, and political interference. In various forms, these nations have often been at the receiving end of U.S.-driven economic and political pressures.This year’s summit unveiled the failure of the United States and its allies to isolate Russia on the global stage. Despite Western sanctions, economic pressures, and attempts to marginalize Russia, this year, many nations heed the call for a new order—one that is multipolar, just, and free from the dominance of any single country or bloc.
In Search of Stability, MENA Turns to BRICS
In Kazan Declaration, BRICS leaders voiced serious concerns over the growing crises across the Middle East, with particular attention to the Israel’s genocide in Gaza deteriorating humanitarian situations in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and the Red Sea. As BRICS—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—gains influence, the bloc is emerging as a stabilizing force in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, prioritizing respect for international law, sovereignty, and humanitarian needs. This shift exacerbates a significant move away from the US, whose Israel influenced policies have often complicated the region’s dynamics.
The declaration called for a ceasefire in Gaza, condemning the violence and emphasizing the need for humanitarian aid access and the safe release of hostages. . The bloc also affirmed its support for a two-state solution, envisioning a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Many MENA countries see this as a fresh approach, offering an alternative to Western-led efforts that have prioritised Israel beyond measures. By backing Palestine’s push for full UN membership and promoting diplomatic resolutions, BRICS provides a platform that counters the prevailing U.S.-dominated narrative that refused to acknowledge the ongoing genocide of Palestinian in Gaza and West Bank.
On Lebanon, the declaration condemned Israeli strikes on residential areas, underscoring the importance of Lebanese sovereignty and endorsing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the cessation of hostilities along the Israeli-Lebanese border. This position strengthens BRICS as a supporter of Middle Eastern sovereignty—a role that resonates with many MENA nations wary of foreign interventions that ignore local autonomy.
The Kazan Declaration also addressed the Syrian conflict, condemning illegal foreign military activities and unilateral sanctions, which, in BRICS’ view, only worsen the Syrian people’s suffering.
From Oil to Opportunity: MENA’s Expanding Role in BRICS
In response to U.S. sanctions, many MENA countries, view BRICS as a more flexible partner that respects their sovereignty. By engaging with BRICS, these nations are finding ways to sidestep restrictive sanctions, preferring relationships that support autonomous decision-making. BRICS’ commitment to multilateralism and respect for international law has broadened its appeal, especially among those seeking fairer representation in global forums, free from US pressures.
The BRICS+ alliance, now includes some of the world’s leading energy producers and consumers, such as Iran, UAE and an official invitee, Saudi Arabia. The expansion, moreover, is heavily tilted toward the Middle East.
The inclusion of MENA countries in the BRICS+ bloc is not merely a political realignment or a move for stability, but also an acknowledgment of their rising economic importance. Traditionally known for their energy resources, the region is now expanding its economic influence in more diverse sectors. This will help strengthen their non-oil industries also and foster deeper economic connections with the BRICS nations.
The expansion of BRICS to include more energy-rich countries is significantly reshaping the global energy landscape. Currently, BRICS countries produce about 32% of the world’s natural gas and 43% of its crude oil. This already substantial share demonstrates the bloc’s importance in the global energy market. As more countries with strong energy sectors, such as Kazakhstan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, join the BRICS+ group, the bloc’s control over global energy production could increase even further. This could push their collective share of oil and gas production to as much as 55%, a major influence on the global supply.
When US President Joe Biden stated in public for Israel to “go ahead and hit Iran’s oil industry”, and later on Trump remarked “hit the nuclear first, and worry about the rest later”, the price of oil jumped to 5%. Iran is the seventh biggest oil producer in the world, as a critical energy player, Iran’s role in global oil production cannot be understated, and any disruption such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil flows would hit global energy prices.
With this growing concern, BRICS+ has the potential to establish an independent energy trading system. Traditionally, the global energy market is dominated by Western-controlled financial systems, which manage transactions and dictate trade terms. However, if BRICS+ can create an alternative system, it would bypass these traditional Western financial institutions and reduce the group’s reliance on them.
This would give BRICS+ countries more control over energy trade and pricing, especially in times of market instability. For instance, if global oil prices are volatile or if sanctions are imposed on certain countries, BRICS+ could potentially set their own pricing structures and trading terms that better suit their interests, without being bound by Western financial regulations or pressure.
Such a shift could make the energy market more resilient to external pressures, particularly the kind of economic sanctions or market manipulations that have often been used by US. It could also create a more balanced energy market, where emerging economies and traditional energy producers outside the Western sphere of influence have greater leverage and say in global pricing and trade.
Broadening its focus,the need to keep strategic areas like the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab and strait of Hormuz open and secure, aligning with MENA and BRICS+ countries’ interests in safe and open maritime routes.
Conclusion
The recent Kazan Declaration underscores how BRICS is transitioning from an emerging economic club to a cohesive alliance intent on reshaping the global order. This coalition’s evolving mission now includes promoting a fairer, multipolar world while actively resisting unilateral coercion and imbalances of power between west and the east.
For many nations in the Muslim world, joining BRICS+ signifies a shift towards a more independent framework for economic growth and trade. By aligning with BRICS+, these countries aim to reduce their reliance on Western financial systems, which have traditionally dominated global trade and often come with political stipulations. BRICS+ offers an alternative economic platform, centered on mutual growth, sovereignty, and resilience to sanctions. This pivot represents a broader shift within the Muslim world, as these countries seek to build stronger economic and strategic partnerships with other rising economies, including China, India, and Russia. Through these alliances, they establish a more secure foundation for energy, trade, investment, economic autonomy and more importantly safety and security in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.
