Contribution by Salah Hannachi (former Ambassador, FIKD Vice-President) framed by the May 2024 Forum debate on BRICS+. The study traces how BRIC moved from a 2001 Wall Street financial concept to a holistic paradigm for an alternative system of international relations, both geopolitical and geoeconomic — and discusses Tunisia’s strategic positioning vis-à-vis the bloc.
Key findings
- Genesis of BRICS+: invented in Wall Street in 2001 as a financial concept, taken up by Russia in 2009 as a geopolitical instrument, formalized as BRICS in 2011, expanded to BRICS+ in 2023 with five new members. The framework now articulates an Emerging Markets and Developing Countries (EMDC) agenda, a Mutually Accelerated Growth (MAG) doctrine, a reform programme for the Multilateral System and a dedollarization track.
- Mission shift: BRICS+ moves beyond post-1945 reconstruction doctrine and Cold War balance-of-power strategies (Mutually Assured Destruction). It pairs the security mission with an equally pressing development mission — Mutually Assured Development — anchored in global value chains, logistics and trade.
- 2023 expansion: at the XVth BRICS Summit (Johannesburg), eligibility, participation and membership rules were defined. The Summit Declaration opens the door to European membership and signals a “rush to BRICS+” by middle powers.
- Africa-BRICS+ partnership: critical for energy, natural resources, investment, capital goods, consumer markets and population movements. It also weighs on the geopolitical balance with the Western-led Multilateral System.
Approach
The paper organises its analysis along eight axes — genesis, agenda, expansion, geopolitical impact, geoeconomic impact, soft impact, SWOT (resources, position, soft power vs disparities, conflicts, consensus rule) and sustainability. Particular attention is paid to the XVIth Congress (October 2024) and the dedollarization track.
Implications for Tunisia
Hannachi positions Tunisia as a junction point between the two basins of the Mediterranean and between Europe and Africa, within a Central Euro-African Hemisphere energy and development corridor. Three entry points to BRICS+ are identified: leveraging Tunisia’s existing infrastructure (TRANSMED, ELMED, MEDUSA fibre); proposing Tunisia as a logistics and manufacturing platform for BRICS-Africa value chains; engaging on the dedollarization and trade-settlement reform agenda where Tunisia’s diversified currency exposure provides flexibility.
The conclusion argues for a dual multilateral system — neither replacement of the existing order nor mere alternative — that better takes into account 21ˢᵗ-century challenges (climate change, Anthropocene, post-COVID realities) and gives a structural voice to grassroots involvement made possible by new transport and communication technologies.
Full study available for download in the PDF block below.