Cynthia Thanda

For decades, African countries have called for a greater voice in the institutions that shape the international system. The growing engagement between Africa and BRICS has brought that demand back into focus, raising an important question: is the global order finally becoming more representative of the countries it affects?

The latest BRICS Summit in New Delhi brings that question back into focus. Held from 12–13 September 2026, the summit brought together an expanded grouping that includes three African countries, whose participation is significant not only because it expands the grouping geographically, but because it also gives Africa another platform to advance its interests in global affairs.

South Africa has long been a member of BRICS, while Egypt and Ethiopia joined the expanded grouping in 2024. Their participation means that African perspectives are increasingly present within a forum that brings together major emerging economies from the Global South.

However, African participation should not be viewed merely in terms of numbers. Its importance lies in whether African countries can use these platforms to influence discussions on issues that matter to the continent, from development and trade to peace, security and reform of international institutions.

The BRICS Declaration’s call for greater and more meaningful participation of emerging markets and developing countries, particularly from Africa, Asia and Latin America, speaks directly to this concern.

It also supports more equitable geographical representation in senior positions within the United Nations and other international organisations.

For Africa, this matters because representation does not always translate into influence.

This is particularly evident in the United Nations Security Council. Africa has no permanent seat on the Council, despite being central to many of the conflicts and security challenges discussed there.

African countries have therefore consistently demanded reform through the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, calling for permanent representation and greater African participation in the Council.

BRICS has reiterated support for comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including the Security Council, with the stated aim of creating a more democratic, representative and effective system. Its Declaration further stresses that reform should lead to an “amplified voice of the Global South.”

For Africa, this could be an important opportunity. Yet the real test is whether political statements will eventually translate into institutional change.

The significance of African participation also extends beyond representation. Africa continues to face serious challenges involving armed conflict, terrorism and insecurity.

A stronger African voice in international forums could help place these challenges higher on the global agenda while encouraging greater cooperation on preventing conflict and addressing the conditions that allow terrorism and violent extremism to spread.

Peace and security cannot be separated from development. Conflict disrupts economies, displaces communities and diverts resources away from education, healthcare and infrastructure.

Greater cooperation between African and emerging economies could therefore create opportunities not only for economic development but also for addressing some of the structural conditions that contribute to instability.

The argument for a more representative international system is not new. In 1955, the Asian-African Conference in Bandung, Indonesia, proclaimed principles including equality, independence, non-intervention and mutual benefit. The Bandung Spirit remains relevant today because many of the concerns raised by the countries of the Global South remain unresolved.

For Africa, BRICS can therefore be understood as part of a much longer struggle for a fairer international order.

But African countries must also approach this opportunity strategically. Participation in BRICS does not mean that all African states have identical interests, nor should Africa simply exchange one form of dependence for another. The continent’s engagement should be guided by its own priorities and continental frameworks, including the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The question, therefore, is not whether Africa should “look East” or West. It is whether Africa can look in every direction while advancing its own interests.

The growing presence of African countries in BRICS gives the continent another avenue through which to pursue that objective. It provides a platform to advocate for fairer representation, stronger economic cooperation and greater attention to Africa’s peace and security concerns.

The Bandung Spirit called for a more equal international system more than seven decades ago. The Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration carried that demand forward. Today, BRICS is echoing calls for an amplified voice for the Global South.

For Africa, the opportunity is clear. The challenge is ensuring that its voice is not merely heard but that it carries weight where decisions are made.

(C) TPA2026