Does BRICS’ New Enlargement Policy Foster a Developmental Peace in the Middle East?

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are one of the striking groupin the world, having remarkable economic performance, high population, and emerging military and political power. After World War II, the USA led the world governance system. Hence, in order to create an alternative way against Western hegemony, BRICS strives to develop new policies through different actors. On August 24, 2023, BRICS announced the admission of six new members, including Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Overall, the new enlargement policy aims to reshape the current world order and increase the voice of BRICS. However, in the new enlargement strategy, the Middle East (ME) is crucial in terms of enhancing BRICS’ geopolitical and geo-economic goals. In particular, the United States intervention in the ME has increased conflicts and disputes in the region since the 2000s. Thus, opposition to the United States policy in the ME arose, and alternative ways for stability and peace in the region were triggered. More specifically, China adopts a developmental peace approach, which is based on economic structure to solve conflicts and provide consistency. Therefore, the ME’s natural resources and geopolitical importance make it attractive for many countries. Based on this, a new enlargement policy should be considered part of the BRICS’ strengthening the Global South-South cooperation in different regions, especially in the ME. This paper focuses on whether the BRICS’ new enlargement policy in the ME fosters developmental peace by examining it from different perspectives, including economic, geopolitics, and cultural. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.