BRICS offers Turkey ‘partner country’ status, Turkish trade minister says

ANKARA — Turkey was offered “partner country” status by BRICS, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said after Ankara disclosed its request to join the bloc as a full member in September.

“They offered Turkey a partner membership status,” Bolat told TVNet television in an interview on Wednesday. The status is part of a “transition process” to join the bloc, he added.

Bolat didn’t clarify whether Turkey accepted the status. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party confirmed in September that Ankara had launched an initiative to join the bloc. Ankara’s frustrations with the EU, its largest trade partner, are growing over the pending resumption of the modernization of the Customs Union Treaty with the bloc. BRICS membership offers the opportunity to diversify its trade ties. Ankara’s wish to join the bloc also comes as part of its balancing act between the Western capitals and emerging economies known as the Global South. 

The bloc “has positioned itself more as a form of political cooperation, international relations and a center to counter the West’s desire to lead the world through hegemony,” Bolat said on Wednesday. 

Erdogan also attended the bloc’s summit in Kazan, capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, in Russia on Oct. 22-24. 

In addition to Turkey, a host of other emerging economies, including Belarus, Malaysia and Thailand also sought to join the bloc, which positions itself as an alternative to the G7. Earlier this week, Belarus was also offered the “partner membership” status, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported, citing Belarusian Foreign Ministry. 

The bloc was founded by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2006. In the following years, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates also joined the bloc. 

The “partner country” status was first introduced during the BRICS summit in Kazan last month, according to the declaration issued by the organization on Oct. 23, Reuters reported.

“We welcome the considerable interest by countries of the Global South in BRICS and we endorse the Modalities of BRICS Partner Country Category,” the declaration said.