After Indonesia Officially Becomes a Full Member of BRICS

On January 6, 2025 local time, Brazil as the Chair of BRICS 2025 officially announced that Indonesia had been accepted as a full member of BRICS. Indeed, Indonesia has given the green light to join the economic bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa since August 2023 - when President Jokowi attended the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. However, this intention was only realized after the succession of Indonesia's national leadership officially switched control under the command of President Prabowo Subianto. Only a few days after the inauguration of President-elect Prabowo on October 20, 2024, Indonesia, through Foreign Minister Sugiono, who was specially sent by President Prabowo to attend the invitation to the BRICS 2024 Summit in Kazan, Russia, directly conveyed Indonesia's intention and determination to join BRICS on October 24, 2024. 

Indonesia's joining BRICS is part of its free and active foreign policy. Previously, Indonesia was already part of the group of 20 countries with the largest economic growth rate in the world (G20), the majority of which are Western countries. Indonesia is also a member of APEC, a group of Asia Pacific countries that have an interest in building economic cooperation. BRICS, which is a membership of non-Western countries, is the fulfillment of Indonesia's dream to continue to play an active role in playing a strategic role for the progress and welfare of the world community. With BRICS, Indonesia can make a breakthrough and step forward, especially for developing countries in the South pole that have been neglected and excluded.

Source: AFP

Therefore, building productive South-South cooperation through trade and investment cooperation schemes, the use of local currencies among BRICS countries, and dedollarizing the United States by not relying on the use of the US dollar are some wise steps that Indonesia must take in the future to ensure that the global development agenda is truly equitable. This way, the world's progress is not only entitled to be enjoyed by countries in the Global North. However, developing countries in the Global South also have the right to enjoy prosperity, fair trade and equitable development.

Indonesia is already on the right track to realize equitable reform of world governance, trade and finance. Do not let the countries in the Northern hemisphere that are already rich get richer, while the countries in the Southern hemisphere that tend to be poor, left behind get poorer and left behind. Through BRICS, Indonesia can make the best steps and efforts for the realization of the progress and general welfare of the world community, especially the developing countries in the South that have been marginalized. There is no need to fear the threat of the United States that will implement protectionist policies by imposing high tariffs for BRICS countries that dedollarize the United States. BRICS is a group of sovereign countries that are also sovereign to set policies independently without worrying about intervention from other state entities.