Zoom in on the timeline: new BRICS countries to start chairmanships after 2028

The BRICS countries have decided on the sequence of chairmanship, taking into account the expansion of the structure to ten countries. The states that joined the five in 2024 and 2025 will be able to chair the group after 2028, South Africa's sous-sheriff in BRICS Ben Joubert told Izvestia. The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that it does not intend to divide "new" and "old" within the association; all states have equal rights. Experts are confident that all countries are able to cope with the role of chairman. Izvestia reports on the path BRICS will follow and why it is important to observe the US policy.

BRICS Chairmanship Rotation

The BRICS countries have established a system of rotation of chairmanship. Until 2028, this role will be performed by the former five (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), then summits can be held in the countries that joined the group last year and this year. In 2024, BRICS expanded to include the UAE, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia. In 2025, Indonesia became the group's tenth member.

- Brazil now holds the presidency. After it will be India, China and South Africa, and then we will start taking into account the new member countries. The idea is this. After South Africa, everything will probably be in alphabetical order. That is, Brazil will again become the chairman," South Africa's sous-sherpa in BRICS Ben Joubert explained to Izvestia.

Russia held the chairmanship last year as it swapped places with Brazil, where the G20 summit was held in 2024.

The Russian Foreign Ministry told Izvestia that BRICS does not divide member states into "new" and "old" members.

- All members of the association have the same status and rights, including the possibility of performing the functions of the presiding country," the Foreign Ministry said.

Some experts questioned the possibility of holding BRICS summits in such countries as Ethiopia or Iran, pointing to the existing disagreements within the group and different capabilities of the countries.

Nevertheless, all BRICS countries are capable of handling the role of chairmanship, Ivan Loshkarev, associate professor of political theory at the Russian Foreign Ministry's MGIMO, is confident. Moreover, the chairmanship program is developed with the participation of all countries and takes into account their positions. Therefore, there is no need to fear that, for example, India will not want to hold a summit in Tehran, where accusations against New Delhi for its "anti-Islamic policy" came from late last year.

- The peculiarity of any BRICS chairmanship is the prioritization of one or two topics on which the group members have no particular disagreements and on which it is possible to develop dialogue at the interdepartmental and expert level," the expert added.

Social development issues are now on the agenda. New BRICS members, such as Ethiopia or Egypt, have something to say on this issue. They have accumulated certain experience in solving social problems: fighting poverty, developing long-term development programs, said Ivan Loshkarev.

Larger countries can help some participants in organizing summits. For example, Indonesia has experience in organizing large-scale events at the international level - in 2022, the country chaired the G20. Experts call Ethiopia the weakest link.

- In recent years, Ethiopia has been in a mode of constant conflicts at the state level (qililil). The federal government has enough strength to contain negative trends, including by attracting investments from BRICS countries. First of all, we are talking about China and the UAE," says Ivan Loshkarev.

Who threatens the BRICS

BRICS has recently strengthened its position on the international arena. Following the summit in Kazan last year, the association announced a new format of interaction. Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan became partner countries.

- BRICS has proved itself first of all as a very effective platform and a format for exchanging opinions and checking the watches of the states representing the world majority," Yuri Mavashev, director of the Center for the Study of New Turkey, told Izvestia.

The question now arises as to the future trajectory of the association. BRICS does not yet have a clear organizational structure.

- As for the transformation of BRICS into a full-fledged organization, meaning at least the appearance of a headquarters, this step would be logical. At the same time, judging by statements, including those made by Russian officials, it is important not to turn a platform useful for the world into a classic sanctuary of bureaucracy," continued Yuri Mavashev.

In other words, we should think about maintaining a balance, when BRICS would not exist "for its own apparatus or for itself," the expert continued. It is important that BRICS remains a platform for frank dialog on a number of topical international issues, summarized Yuri Mavashev.

Interest in the BRICS from the Global South will surely grow, but the issue of the structure's expansion should be approached intelligently. The expansion of any platform is not only beneficial, but also creates difficulties in the search for consensus.

Especially since the West may try to disrupt unanimity within the group. First of all, the United States, through pressure on individual countries, could provoke a split within the grouping.

The position of the current U.S. administration is to reduce the degree of consolidation within BRICS and prevent the implementation of the most ambitious projects. In particular, it is about mutual settlements in national currencies - now their share within the group exceeds 60%.

Washington will try to achieve its goal through favorable initiatives for individual BRICS members. India has already been offered to localize a part of American pharmaceutical production and gain access to the huge market of medicines in the United States. This is a tempting offer, but it is unlikely to compensate for the benefits of cooperation with BRICS countries in other sectors, primarily in the energy sector, believes Ivan Loshkarev.

On the other hand, American President Donald Trump can resort to a policy of pressure. In particular, he threatened the BRICS countries to introduce duties of 150% if they "destroy the dollar". Before that, the head of the White House promised 100% duties if the BRICS countries create their own currency and refuse to use the American dollar in mutual settlements.