By Abiola Olawale
Turkey, a member country of NATO, has formally submitted a request to join the BRICS bloc of nations,
This was made known in a press statement issued by the ruling party in Turkey, the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The spokesperson of the party, Omer Celik, in the statement, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already begun the process of going BRICS.
Celik stated that the move is to bolster the influence of Turkey on the global stage and expand trade beyond its traditional Western allies.
According to him, Erdogan is committed to improving Turkey’s ties with both the East and the West and extending cordial relations with other developing countries.
“Our president has clearly stated that Turkey wants to take part in all important platforms, including BRICS,” Celik said.
The New Diplomat reports that Turkey is now the first NATO member to ever consider joining the BRICS bloc.
The BRICS bloc of nations, founded in 2009, is named after founding members Brazil, Russia, India, and China, along with early joiner South Africa.
In 2024 the bloc grew to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE, with Saudi Arabia also being invited to join.
