Saudi Arabia Yet to Decide on BRICS Membership, Says Economy Minister

Saudi Arabia is still in the process of evaluating its potential membership in BRICS and has not made a final decision, according to Faisal bin Fadhil Al-Ibrahim, the country’s Minister of Economy and Planning.

During a discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Al-Ibrahim stated that the kingdom remains committed to global engagement while carefully assessing the implications of joining the economic bloc. He explained that Saudi Arabia has received an invitation to BRICS, just as it has to other international platforms in the past, and that a thorough review is underway before reaching a conclusion.

Saudi officials have consistently maintained that no official decision has been made regarding BRICS membership. Majed bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, the Minister of Commerce, reiterated this position at the previous World Economic Forum, clarifying that the kingdom had not formally joined the group.

In January 2024, Saudi state media briefly reported that the country had become a full BRICS member. However, the report was later removed from social media, suggesting that the decision was still under consideration.

BRICS leaders extended membership invitations to several countries, including Saudi Arabia, during the Johannesburg summit in August 2023. Following the announcement, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud stated that the kingdom would carefully study the offer before making an appropriate decision.

At the BRICS summit held in Kazan in October 2023, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov noted Saudi Arabia’s growing interest in working closely with the group. The Saudi delegation, led by the Foreign Minister, attended the event as an invited state.