Uganda Aligns with BRICS for New Opportunities

(KAMPALA) – Uganda has officially joined BRICS, an influential coalition of emerging economies working to shift the global power balance away from dominance by North America and Western Europe. Uganda’s addition was confirmed alongside 12 other nations during the annual BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia, which began on October 22. This move is seen as part of Uganda’s wider efforts to diversify international alliances and engage more deeply with countries outside the traditional Western sphere.

The newly added BRICS partner countries include Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. The core BRICS members – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – had established the bloc with the goal of fostering cooperation among rapidly growing economies. Since South Africa joined in 2010, BRICS has expanded, most recently on January 1, 2024, when Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates joined the alliance. Saudi Arabia, also invited, has yet to formally join.

President Yoweri Museveni’s government has recently strengthened Uganda’s international presence through multiple alliances. Uganda took a leading role in global development forums this year, hosting the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77+China summits in January. These summits were Uganda’s first opportunity to host such a significant assembly of international leaders simultaneously. At the NAM summit, Uganda assumed leadership for three years, while at the G77+China summit, Uganda took the helm for one year, consolidating its position in these powerful, non-Western coalitions.

The BRICS bloc has garnered a combined population of roughly 3.5 billion, nearly half of the world’s population, which represents significant economic potential. While Uganda’s partnership with BRICS does not yet provide full membership, it offers the country access to new diplomatic channels and economic cooperation initiatives under the influence of emerging powers, potentially shifting some trade and investment ties away from traditional Western allies.