KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban government in Afghanistan has expressed its desire to join the BRICS economic forum, which brings together some of the world’s leading emerging economies. This statement comes ahead of the BRICS summit set to take place from October 22-24, 2024, in Kazan, Russia.
BRICS, an alliance that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, serves as a platform for dialogue and cooperation on global economic issues. The forum, which has been expanding its reach, recently added Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Ethiopia to its ranks.
“Countries with major resources and the world’s biggest economies are associated with BRICS, especially Russia, India, and China,” said Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban government. “Currently, we have good economic ties and commercial exchanges with them. We are keen to expand our relations and participate in the economic forums of BRICS.”
Despite lacking official recognition from the international community, the Taliban has increasingly developed relations with some of the founding BRICS nations, particularly China and Russia. Both countries have expressed a willingness to collaborate with Afghanistan, particularly in commercial ventures and in combating the threat posed by Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), the regional affiliate of the Islamic State group.
While BRICS has not yet responded to the Taliban’s comments about joining the forum, the Taliban government’s growing economic ties with key BRICS members have raised the possibility of future engagement. China’s interest in Afghanistan’s natural resources and Russia’s geopolitical goals in the region could lead to deeper economic partnerships in the years ahead.
The Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, has stated that it has “no information so far” regarding any official invitation to attend the upcoming BRICS summit.
As the Taliban continues to navigate its relationship with the global community, especially with major powers like China and Russia, joining economic forums like BRICS could be seen as a step toward greater integration in the global economy despite the lack of formal recognition from the international community. For now, Afghanistan’s path to formal inclusion in BRICS remains uncertain, though its leaders have made clear their interest in expanding economic cooperation with the world’s emerging powers.
