The BRICS are far from an alternative to the US-led G7 groups. These three conflicts between them explain why.
As the BRICS summit comes to an end in Johannesburg, South Africa, many analysts are rushing to analyze its consequences. In many ways, it has been a historic meeting, with the inclusion into the BRICS of six new nations: Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Argentina.
The new members will be added to the five existing ones: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (whose initials make up the BRICS acronym).
Historically, this meeting represents an occasion where ex-colonial nations finally make their voices heard in world affairs. Further, their stated goal is to challenge and replace the US dollar as the global reserve currency.
But such a feat will be incredibly hard to achieve, especially considering all the divisions and rivalities within the new and existing BRICS members. Many have defined the BRICS as a response to the American-led G7 group, though it could not be more different.
BRICS nations have little to no cohesion with each other. Indeed, no division within the G7 can be compared to those inside the BRICS. To better understand this, let’s analyze some of them.
India vs China
The BRICS’ two largest economies and the world’s most populated nations… completely hate each other.
India and China have an active border dispute in the Himalayas. Only three years ago, some skirmishes took place between the two countries’ armies, resulting in deaths on both sides.
India is a member of the QUAD alliance with the United States, Australia, and Japan. Unlike the BRICS, members of the QUAD can and will call for each other’s help in case of military aggression by another nation.
Therefore, India seems much more committed to an anti-Chinese military alliance with the US rather than the BRICS.
Saudi Arabia vs Iran
The “hottest” rivalry among the new BRICS members is, unsurprisingly, between two nations in the Middle East. Indeed, Saudi Arabia and Iran have waged a “cold war” between each other for decades, at least since the start of the post-colonization age.
As a matter of fact, Persian (Iran) and Arabic (Saudi Arabia) cultures have been at odds with each other for over a thousand years. The former follows the Shia branch of Islam, while the latter follows the Sunni doctrine. This divide has shaped the geopolitics of the Middle East since the X century A.C.
The wars in Lebanon, Syria, and, more recently, Yemen have seen both countries supporting opposing factions. While China managed to broker a truce between the two, welcoming both into BRICS, that’s all it remains: a truce. Neither China nor any other nation can cancel a rivalry lasting over a thousand years.
Ethiopia vs Egypt
Finally, the only two African nations joining the BRICS also have conflicts brewing among them too.
Ethiopia and Egypt, both as unstable as geopolitically important, have one fundamental problem: water. Both countries are blessed with the Nile River, but this supply is barely enough for their ever-growing populations.
Ethiopia, sitting upstream on the Blue Nile, Ethiopia is currently building a dam to replenish its scarce water resources. In doing so, however, it depletes Egypt from this vital material.
The government in Cairo has threatened active bombing of the dam if construction is not halted. Despite many diplomatic attempts, a solution has yet to be found.
These are only three of the many divisions gripping the BRICS. Will they really provide an alternative to the G7?
