TheAltWorld Saudi Arabia Has Good Reason To Dillydally On Formally Joining BRICS
Making an official decision either way could disrupt the Kingdom’s careful multi-alignment between the West and the World Majority.
Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Al-Ibrahim told the World Economic Forum during last month’s Davos Summit that “We’ve been invited to the BRICS, similar to how we’ve been invited to many other multilateral platforms in the past historically. We assess many different aspects of it before a decision is made and right now, we are in the middle of that.” Saudi Arabia has good reason to dillydally on formally joining BRICS too for the reasons that’ll now be explained.
It was posited here in January 2024 when the country first revealed that it hadn’t yet accepted the group’s official membership invitation that this “is due to Western perceptions about this association, Iran’s involvement in the Red Sea Crisis, and Israeli-US pressure”, which still holds true. Regarding the first, Saudi Arabia would arguably feel uncomfortable with its name and national brand being included in the plethora of agenda-driven promotional materials misportraying BRICS as an anti-Western alliance.
The Kingdom used to be solidly in the Western camp but has taken a page from India’s book in recent years by multi-aligning between them and what Russia now calls the World Majority. This grand strategic recalibration is due to Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), whose character and vision were praised by Putin in late 2022, which was analyzed here at the time. MBS understandably doesn’t want to fuel the false perception that he’s pivoting away from the West.
The second reason about Iran’s involvement in the Red Sea Crisis is also still relevant since Saudi Arabia doesn’t want to formally join an organization in which its historic rival is also a member amidst the latest support that the latter has given to the Kingdom’s Houthi enemies. Moreover, Iran also supports Hamas, whose sneak attack on 7 October abruptly delayed work on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which was supposed to make Saudi Arabia a key node in Euro-Asian trade.
The final reason builds upon the aforementioned and includes joint pressure from its fellow Israeli-American IMEC investors who didn’t want Saudi Arabia joining a group within which Iran is also now a member as the West Asian Wars between Israel and the Iranian-led Resistance Axis were raging. Even though the two main ones in Gaza and Lebanon have since officially ended, neither would look approvingly upon Saudi Arabia formally joining BRICS, which could endanger its ties with both.
MBS wants to revive IMEC as soon as possible since it’s expected to function as an integral part of his “Vision 2030” grand strategic plan (the end date of which will likely be pushed back due to all that’s happened since its announcement in 2016) to revolutionize his country’s socio-economic systems. That’s not possible without a large degree of US involvement and Israel’s cooperation, the latter of which requires formal Saudi recognition of the Jewish State, possibly explaining Bibi’s concessions on Gaza.
Openly defying them by formally joining the same group within which their shared Iranian nemesis is already a member, and doing so right after Trump returns to power amidst reports that he’ll reimpose his “maximum pressure” policy against the Islamic Republic, could lead to both abandoning IMEC. The US and Israel offer Saudi Arabia tangible economic and financial benefits whereas BRICS has yet to provide its members with any whatsoever at all as explained here after the latest Kazan Summit.
Additionally, Trump is under the false impression (subsequently debunked by Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar) that BRICS is focused on de-dollarizing and wants to create a new currency to rival the dollar, so he’d predictably overreact if Saudi Arabia decides to formally join now. That could scuttle MBS’ ambitious IMEC plans that are one of the centerpieces of his “Vision 2030” grand strategic plan so he’s loath to risk such consequences in exchange for literally nothing at all from BRICS.
It therefore makes perfect sense why Saudi Arabia is dillydallying on formally joining BRICS since it presently enjoys all the knowledge-sharing and elite-networking benefits brought about through its partial participation without any of the political or economic risks inherent in being a full member. MBS can therefore maintain his Kingdom’s careful multi-alignment between the West (which includes Israel in this formulation) and the World Majority by indefinitely delaying a decision on this either way.
https://korybko.substack.com/p/saudi-arabia-has-good-reason-to-dillydally
fuck israel
Wednesday 5 Feb 25 : and this is all this site has to publish after what Trump declared on behalf of his pimp netanyahu?
Impressive…
TheAltWorld
Wait a bit! as we are analysis publisher, it takes some time!
ed
Saudis are puppets kept in power by the US. If the US withdrew their support, this evil regime would fall, toppled by its own people.
Here are the real news today:
Moscow rejects Trump’s Gaza plan
rt.com/news/612224-moscow-rejects-trump-gaza-plan/
The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the matter as well: “China hopes all parties will take ceasefire and post-conflict governance as an opportunity to bring the Palestinian issue back on the right track of political settlement based on the two-state solution.”
Europe condemns Trump’s Gaza relocation plan as illegal, unacceptable
english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/europe-condemns-trump-s-gaza-relocation-plan-as-illegal–una
Colombia, Brazil condemn Trump statements on Gaza takeover
english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/colombia–brazil-condemn-trump-statements-on-gaza-takeover
Jordan King rejects plans to displace Palestinians, annex West Bank
english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/jordan-king-rejects-plans-to-displace-palestinians–annex-we
Palestinian officials, factions reject, condemn Trump Gaza plot
english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/palestinian-officials–factions-condemn-trump-gaza-plot
“This is a desperate attempt to wipe out our just cause,” he said, calling Trump’s rhetoric “dangerous” and aligned with the agenda of “Israel’s” far-right government.
Al-Qanou insisted that Palestinians would never accept forced removal from their homeland. “The people who have withstood the most brutal military assaults for 15 months, facing the world’s most lethal army, will not surrender,” he said. “No matter the cost, they will remain steadfast on their land.”
‘Israel’ is committing ethnic cleansing in Gaza; ex-minister insists
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/-israel–is-committing-ethnic-cleansing-in-gaza–ex-minister
Former official, Moshe Ya’alon, doubles down and refuses to apologize for statements accusing “Israel” of ethnic cleansing.
Iran unfazed by Trump’s oil export threats: Pezeshkian
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-unfazed-by-trump-s-oil-export-threats–pezeshkian
20:00 Israeli air raid targets Rafah, south of Gaza
https://english.almanar.com.lb/
16:07 Jordan: King Abdullah II: It is necessary to stop settlement expansion, and we reject any attempts to annex lands and displace Palestinians
https://english.almanar.com.lb/
Global Stance on Trump Remarks Highlights Widespread Rejection of Palestinians’ Displacement
english.almanar.com.lb/2331760
15:37 Spanish FM: Gaza is the land of the Palestinians and must remain so
15:15 Indonesian Foreign Ministry: We call on the international community to respect the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and their inalienable right to return to their homeland
13:57 German FM on Trump remarks: Gaza belongs to the Palestinians
12:52 British foreign secretary: We must ensure a future for the Palestinians in their homeland
12:32 French Foreign Ministry: Forced displacement of Gaza residents would be a serious violation of international law
The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the matter as well: “China hopes all parties will take ceasefire and post-conflict governance as an opportunity to bring the Palestinian issue back on the right track of political settlement based on the two-state solution.”
Russia believes a settlement in West Asia is the only possible basis of a two-state solution. “This is the thesis that is enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolution, this is the thesis that is shared by the overwhelming majority of countries involved in this problem. We proceed from it, we support it and believe that this is the only possible option,” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
11:46 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, after Trump’s remarks: We will not allow infringement on the rights of our people for which we have struggled for decades and made immense sacrifices to achieve
https://english.almanar.com.lb/
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva:
○ “It is unacceptable for the US President to meet the Israeli Prime Minister and agree to occupy Gaza and displace its people.”
“Australia’s position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year. The Australian government supports on a bipartisan basis a two-state solution.”
Human rights organizations also condemned Trump’s statements across the board, the UN human rights office stated that, “It is crucial that we move towards the next phase of the ceasefire, to release all hostages and arbitrarily detained prisoners, end the war and reconstruct Gaza, with full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
“Any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited.”
Hezbollah Leader’s Advisor: World Witnessing Unprecedented US Tyrannical Behavior
https://english.almanar.com.lb/2331727
Iran to Trump: Another Maximum Pressure, Another Defeat for Washington
https://english.almanar.com.lb/2331375
Watch: What Did S. Nasrallah Say about Trump and the “True Face of the US”
https://english.almanar.com.lb/2331430
Back in a 2017 speech, the Hezbollah leader, exposed what the US really are (besides being a Jewish colony):
RNN: “We should thank Trump for revealing yet again the true face of the U.S. administration—a racist, criminal, murderous, bloodthirsty entity that confiscates freedoms, plunders wealth, conspires against oppressed peoples.”
“Neither Trump nor his father, nor his… pic.twitter.com/nxz9eyULKt
— Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) February 4, 2025
The US president made no mention of the fact that the criminal Zionist who was standing beside him, with a smile on his face, was the one who made Gaza a “demolition site”.
Israeli war criminal evokes Swiss probe amid mounting global evidence of atrocities in Gaza
https://www.presstv.co.uk/Detail/2025/02/05/742275/Swiss-probe-Israel-war-criminal-genocide-Gaza
Trump’s ‘Gaza takeover’ plan rejected by US allies; sparks global outrage
.presstv.co.uk/Detail/2025/02/05/742253/Trump-Gaze-take-over-sparks-global-condemnation
Arab League, OIC condemn Trump’s Gaza ‘takeover’ scheme
presstv.co.uk/Detail/2025/02/05/742268/Arab-League-OIC-Trump-Gaza-takeover
The Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have condemned in the strongest terms US President Donald Trump’s remarks on the “takeover” of the Gaza Strip.
Real estate mogul-turned-president Trump’s ‘owning Gaza’ remark sparks firestorm
https://www.presstv.co.uk/Detail/2025/02/05/742254/Trump-doubles-down-on-Gaza-ethnic-cleansing-in-Netanyahu-meeting
US President Donald Trump doubled down on his call for ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza during his meeting with the criminal Netanyahu (charged with genocide) on Tuesday.