Vietnam Joins BRICS as ‘Partner Country’ amid the economic alliance’s push for de-dollarization

BRAZIL: The BRICS economic alliance is expanding as more countries join the push for de-dollarization.

The Brazilian government, which currently presides over the alliance, announced that Vietnam would join BRICS as a “partner country.”

Partner countries, a category the bloc established last year, aren’t full-fledged members but are invited to participate in the BRICS summit and can endorse the alliance’s declarations.

Vietnam is the 10th partner country, joining Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.

ALSO READ: How OPEC and BRICS are shaping the future of Global Energy Trade

BRICS held its initial summit in 2009 was originally just called BRIC, which stood for its four founding members: Brazil, Russia, India and China. The acronym changed to BRICS after South Africa joined the following year.

In 2024, it expanded membership to other nations, including Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia joined in early 2025.

Brazil also claims that Saudi Arabia is part of the bloc, but the Middle Eastern country has reportedly eschewed formal membership in the intercontinental economic alliance to avoid antagonizing the US.