South Africa opposes Moroccan membership of BRICS group

As the new BRICS summit kicked off yesterday in Kazan, Russia, South Africa is actively opposing Morocco's bid to join the group. South African officials have been vocal about their plans in the international press.

In comments to the U.S. news agency Bloomberg, they stated that «any attempt to dilute South Africa’s influence by inviting Nigeria or Morocco into BRICS will be met with resistance». Russian media have also reported Pretoria's warnings to its allies, with Nigeria—one of Morocco's key economic partners on the continent—being a target of South Africa's strategy.

At last year's BRICS summit in Johannesburg in August 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa agreed to allow Egypt and Ethiopia to join BRICS. These countries are represented at the Kazan conclave, taking place from October 22 to 24, by President Abdelfattah Al-Sissi and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, respectively.

It's important to note that China invited Morocco to participate in the BRICS 2024 Forum on Partnership for the New Industrial Revolution, which was held in September in Xiamen. The Kingdom was represented by Riad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Commerce.

This new front established by South Africa—a key ally of the Polisario in Africa—against Morocco comes ten months after Pretoria's candidate lost the race for the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council to Morocco's representative.