Nusa Dua [Indonesia], October 25: Indonesia has expressed its desire to join the BRICS group of major emerging economies, according to a statement issued by the Indonesian Foreign Ministry on the evening of October 24.
As BRICS leaders met in the Russian city of Kazan this week, Indonesia's foreign ministry said the process of joining the group had begun, Reuters reported.
"Indonesia's joining BRICS demonstrates the country's independent and proactive foreign policy. That does not mean we join a certain bloc, but we actively participate in every forum," new Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono emphasized.
Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country , pursues a non-aligned foreign policy.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto , who took office on October 20, has repeatedly stressed that he will befriend all countries, whether China or the United States, and that Indonesia will not join any military bloc.
Mr Sugiono said BRICS fit with President Prabowo's key government programmes "especially on food and energy security, poverty reduction and human resource development". He added that Indonesia sees BRICS as a "vehicle" to promote the interests of the Global South.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said more than 30 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, although it remains unclear how this expansion would take place.
Current members of BRICS include Russia, China, Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Professor of international relations Yohanes Sulaiman at Jenderal Achmad Yani University (Indonesia) commented that Indonesia's desire to join BRICS shows that the country does not want to be left behind, and that does not necessarily mean that Mr. Prabowo's foreign policy is more Eastern than Western.
In an effort to attract more investment and trade deals from members of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Indonesia announced this year before Prabowo took office that it aimed to complete its accession to become an OECD member within two to three years, according to Reuters.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper