BRICS-GCC ties take center stage as global order shifts

Doha, Qatar: A high level panel at the Doha Forum explored how shifting global alliances between BRICS and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are resh...

Doha, Qatar: A high-level panel at the Doha Forum explored how shifting global alliances between BRICS and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are reshaping the geopolitical and economic landscape, signaling what several speakers described as a transition toward a more multipolar world order.

The session, entitled ‘BRICS, GCC, and Evolving Relations for a Changing Global Order,’ convened senior policymakers and geopolitical analysts, including Dr. Ebtesam AlKetbi, President of the Emirates Policy Center, Brazil’s Secretary of Multilateral Political Affairs, H E Carlos Márcio Bicalho Cozendey, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Government Innovation, Einar Tangen, and moderator Dr. Gustavo de Carvalho from the South African Institute of International Affairs.

Speakers highlighted the recent expansion of BRICS, which now includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, as a pivotal moment in global diplomacy. With additional candidates such as Bahrain, Chile, and Colombia under consideration, the bloc is now emerging as a major political and economic counterweight to traditional Western-led institutions.

Officials discussed ongoing BRICS deliberations over financial alternatives, including talk of a shared currency as a mechanism to reduce dependence on the US dollar in global trade. These conversations tie directly into a broader trend of South-South cooperation and financial diversification.

Brazil’s representative, H E Cozendey, emphasised that the group’s evolution is not about replacing existing systems but complementing them, stating the changing structure of BRICS reflects a broader push for inclusivity in global governance. “BRICS is not a political coalition; it’s a cooperation space. Its members are not required to share the same opinions or positions. Within that space, there are nearly 300 working groups, some already producing concrete results, others still exploratory,” he said.