@africamonetary, While BRICS’ expansion suggests ambition, the alliance faces significant obstacles to its effectiveness as a global counterweight.

The group’s lack of a coherent economic or political strategy has made it challenging to deliver concrete alternatives to Western-dominated systems like the IMF or dollar-based trade networks. Despite its growing membership, BRICS is still limited by internal divisions, with China’s overwhelming influence, and divergent interests among members making cohesive decision-making difficult.

The absence of a clear framework for trade and payment mechanisms indicates that BRICS may be more aspirational than operational. Moreover, the coalition’s expansion has not clarified its purpose beyond offering a vague alternative to Western influence, raising doubts about whether it can actually achieve its goal of reshaping the global economic order or if it will remain largely symbolic.