Egypt Daily News – Despite participating in the group’s recent meeting in Brazil, Saudi Arabia has not yet finalized its decision to officially join the BRICS group, according to two separate sources cited by Reuters. This move reflects Riyadh’s diplomatic caution to avoid upsetting the United States at a time when it is seeking to finalize deals with Washington.
The two sources stated that Saudi Arabia postponed formally joining BRICS despite attending its meeting last week in Brazil, in order to avoid provoking the United States, particularly as the kingdom is negotiating deals with it.
Joining BRICS has been a diplomatically sensitive issue for Saudi Arabia since it was first invited in 2023, and it remains so with former President Donald Trump scheduled to visit the Middle East next week while Riyadh negotiates nuclear and technology agreements.
BRICS was originally established as a group of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa to counter Western dominance of the global order. In recent years, it has expanded to include emerging economies like the UAE, Egypt, and Indonesia.
While the BRICS website lists Saudi Arabia—the world’s largest oil exporter—as a member, the two sources familiar with Saudi policy confirmed the kingdom has not yet officially joined.
So far, Saudi Arabia’s Government Communication Office has not responded to requests for comment.
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry, when asked by Reuters about Saudi Arabia’s listing as a member, referred questions to the Saudi government. Brazil currently holds the rotating presidency of BRICS.
One of the sources, a diplomat, explained that Saudi Arabia does not want to risk angering the United States while it is engaged in sensitive negotiations.
Saudi Arabia had sent its Deputy Foreign Minister to the April 29 meeting in Rio de Janeiro, where the rapidly expanding bloc’s foreign ministers failed to agree on a joint statement.
The kingdom’s hesitation to join BRICS reflects its aim to strike a delicate balance between China, its largest oil export customer, and the United States, its indispensable partner in security and technology. Saudi Arabia is treading more carefully amid growing tensions between the U.S. and China.
Robert Mogielnicki, a researcher at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, said: “The Saudis still see significant value in cooperation with BRICS and its member states and will continue to benefit from such relations bilaterally or multilaterally wherever possible.”
He added: “I think Saudi calculations still favor what they can get from the United States over what they would gain from BRICS membership—at least in the short term.”
In January, Trump urged BRICS to commit to not creating a new currency or supporting any alternative to the dollar, warning that failure to comply would lead to 100% tariffs on BRICS countries.
Looking for Allies
While Saudi Arabia still prefers its historic ally, the United States, it is also seeking to strengthen trade relations with China, its biggest crude oil customer.
In February, Saudi exports to China reached 15.2 billion riyals ($4.05 billion), a 20.6% increase from the previous year’s 12.6 billion riyals, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.
Over the past five years, trade between the two countries has grown at an annual rate of 50.3%.
Total Chinese investment and construction contracts in Saudi Arabia from 2005 to mid-2024 amounted to about $71 billion, according to the China Global Investment Tracker, highlighting China’s growing role in the kingdom’s economic transformation.
Saudi Arabia’s partnership with the U.S. remains central to its security, investment, and technology ambitions—even as it expands ties with rival powers like China and Russia.
Sources told Reuters last month that the U.S. is preparing a weapons package for Saudi Arabia worth more than $100 billion, with an announcement expected during Trump’s upcoming visit.
BRICS is working toward reducing reliance on the dollar, but a study last year by the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center found that the dollar remains the dominant global reserve currency, and even countries using the euro or part of BRICS have not succeeded in decreasing global dependence on the dollar.
Steven Hertog, associate professor of comparative politics at the London School of Economics, said: “While BRICS provides a useful forum for voicing grievances about U.S. behavior, it is not yet cohesive enough to deliver public goods in key areas like currency cooperation, security, or economic integration.”
Saudi analyst Aziz Alghashian said the Saudis feel they have influence and enjoy their current position.
He added that while they still see the U.S. as the main player, there are other powers that can also offer benefits.
