From 1 January 2024, the nations of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were also invited to join the alliance. By the end of that month, South Africa's Foreign Minister confirmed all five countries were officially joining, with some people suggesting the group's name would change to BRICS+ to reflect its expanding membership. However, there is still some confusion as to whether Saudi Arabia has officially joined the group.

Following the 16th BRICS summit which took place in Kazan, Russia in October 2024, 13 more countries have become 'partner nations' of the alliance: Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Türkiye, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Though these countries aren't full BRICS members, they represent the group's growing global influence.

Türkiye has previously shown interest in joining the alliance, suggesting the nation is keen not to be defined by its long-term allegiance to the West. The country has never successfully joined the European Union, which some analysts argue has been a point of contention. Former White House official Matthew Bryza believes Türkiye's BRICS bid is an attempt to "spook the West a bit", though it appears to have shied away from becoming a full-blown member in favour of (perhaps less contentious) partner nation status.

The BRICS and other countries lining up against the West