ASEAN and BRICS strengthen Global South and create strategic link with the West, says analyst

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the BRICS group share strategic objectives to promote a more equitable global governance and strengthen cooperation among countries of the Global South. This assessment comes from Danial Rahman, General Director of the Asian Institute for Strategy and Leadership, in an interview with Sputnik Brazil. Rahman stated that the recent ASEAN summit, held between October 26 and 28 in Malaysia, highlighted the organization’s strengthening as a link between the Global North and South. ‘The presence of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reflects ASEAN’s openness to closer ties with BRICS countries. ASEAN and BRICS share common goals – a fairer global governance and strengthening South-South cooperation,’ said the analyst. Rahman also added that Brazil’s support for Malaysia’s possible membership in BRICS is ‘a positive sign’ and emphasized that ASEAN should ‘balance deepening cooperation with BRICS to preserve its unity and independence.’ The summit reinforced the dialogue between emerging powers. The presence of representatives of the BRICS founding countries, including the presidents of China and South Africa, at the ASEAN summit highlights the importance of discussions on economic integration, regional security, and reforms in international governance – key topics for both ASEAN and the bloc formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The meeting underscored the trend towards greater prominence of emerging nations in global decisions, especially in a context of seeking alternatives to the Western-dominated international system. On the sidelines of the summit, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met with US President Donald Trump. According to Sputnik Brazil, analysts described the meeting as positive. Lula announced that both countries’ teams will ‘immediately start negotiations to end the 50% tariffs on Brazilian products and sanctions applied to some officials from the country.’ Trump, on the other hand, described the meeting as ‘very good’ and praised the Brazilian president a day after the encounter. The approach between the two leaders is seen as a relevant diplomatic gesture, suggesting an attempt to rebalance relations between the Global South and the West.