Addis Ababa, September 11, 2026 (FMC) — As leaders gather in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, the expanded grouping is entering a new phase in its evolution—one increasingly defined not only by economic weight, but by the growing determination of countries across the Global South to have a stronger voice in shaping the international system.
BRICS has grown far beyond its original five members into an 11-member grouping spanning Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Its full members—Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates—collectively represent nearly half of the world’s population, around 40 percent of global GDP and about 26 percent of global trade.
That expansion mirrors a wider transformation in global affairs. As economic power becomes more widely distributed, countries of the Global South are seeking greater representation in global institutions, more balanced international partnerships and greater space to pursue their own development priorities.
At the heart of this shift is the growing discussion around a multipolar world—an international system in which influence is shared among multiple centers rather than concentrated in a limited number of powers.
For many countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, multipolarity is increasingly associated with greater strategic choice, stronger economic partnerships and a more representative voice in international decision-making.
BRICS has emerged as one of the principal platforms through which that conversation is taking shape. Its members differ substantially in their political systems, economic structures and national priorities, but they share an interest in strengthening cooperation across the Global South and advancing reforms in international governance.
India’s 2026 chairship has placed that question prominently on the summit agenda. The 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, being held in New Delhi on September 12–13 under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” opens with discussions on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.”
The emphasis is significant. For BRICS, the debate over global governance is increasingly connected to practical questions of economic development, access to finance, trade, technology, health, food and energy security, connectivity and resilience.
Africa’s voice within an expanding BRICS
Africa occupies an increasingly important place in this evolving architecture. Ethiopia and Egypt became full BRICS members in January 2024, joining South Africa, which entered the grouping in 2011.
The continent therefore now has three full members participating directly in a forum whose collective economic and demographic weight is expanding rapidly.
Their presence gives African perspectives greater visibility in discussions involving some of the world’s largest economies. It also reflects Africa’s broader effort to diversify partnerships while advancing its own continental priorities, including industrialization, infrastructure, technology, trade integration and access to development finance.
But Africa’s role in BRICS is not simply about receiving investment or accessing new markets. The continent is increasingly positioning itself as a partner with its own economic opportunities, resources, markets and development ambitions.
The African Continental Free Trade Area, for instance, is creating the foundation for a larger and more integrated African market.
Greater engagement with BRICS economies can complement that process by expanding trade and investment links while supporting Africa’s efforts to move from exporting raw materials toward greater value addition and industrial production.
Ethiopia brings its own weight to the table
For Ethiopia, BRICS membership has opened a new dimension of international engagement, but the country’s role is not confined to seeking opportunities from the grouping.
As a major African country with a large domestic market, a strategic geographic position, expanding infrastructure and ambitions for industrial and economic transformation, Ethiopia brings its own priorities and perspectives to BRICS discussions.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and a high-level Ethiopian delegation are in New Delhi for the summit, joining fellow leaders as BRICS considers how its expanded membership can be translated into deeper and more practical cooperation.
Ethiopia’s participation gives it an opportunity to contribute to discussions on development finance, trade, investment, connectivity, technology and international governance while reinforcing its engagement with fellow countries of the Global South.
Its position also carries an African dimension. Ethiopia can bring continental development priorities into a forum connecting Africa with major economies across Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, while drawing on those relationships to support its own transformation and broader regional integration.
The country’s participation therefore fits into a wider Ethiopian approach of engaging multiple international partnerships rather than relying on a single economic or geopolitical channel.
From representation to influence
The question now facing BRICS—and its African members—is how to convert expanding representation into tangible influence.
Ahead of the leaders’ summit, BRICS finance ministers and central bank governors called for reforms to global development financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, seeking governance arrangements that are more representative, transparent and accountable. They also highlighted the importance of more efficient cross-border payment systems.
Such issues have direct relevance for Africa, where access to affordable development finance, infrastructure investment and greater participation in international economic decision-making remain critical.
Yet the significance of BRICS ultimately depends on what its members can build together. Greater trade, investment, industrial cooperation, technology partnerships, financial mechanisms and connectivity would give substance to the broader political argument for stronger South-South cooperation.
For Africa, this is an opportunity to engage a changing global economy from a stronger position. For Ethiopia, it is an opportunity to contribute its own priorities and experience while strengthening partnerships that support national transformation and continental development.
And for the wider Global South, the rise of BRICS represents part of a much larger transition in international affairs: a movement toward a world in which more countries expect to participate in shaping the rules, institutions and partnerships that determine their future.
The New Delhi summit thus carries significance beyond the 11 countries around the table. It is a test of whether an increasingly diverse BRICS can turn its growing economic and demographic weight into practical cooperation, stronger South-South partnerships and a more balanced voice in global governance.
For Africa and Ethiopia, participation in that process is not simply about finding a place in a changing world. It is about helping shape the world that is taking form.