Yet another African country has announced it desire to join BRICS; namely Senegal. What are the prospects and chances of integration, in one form or another, of this West African country?
Senegal’s arguments
It is worth recalling that BRICS in its current form includes not only its five first member states, i.e. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, but also Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia as full-fledged member states of the organisation. In addition, after last year’s BRICS Summit in Kazan, a new format was established by BRICS partner countries, which at the moment include Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.
The current 10+9 format of BRICS will, of course, continue to grow. Recently, Senegal officially voiced interest in integrating into the international organisation, which is notable, s the country represents a kind of transitional option in modern realities. Having long been associated with French interests, modern Senegal is gradually entering a multipolar reality, although there is still a lot of work to be done.
As stated by Yassine Fall, Minister of African Integration and Foreign Affairs of Senegal (who is, by the way, an economist by profession): “Senegal is one of the countries that welcomed the creation of BRICS and is negotiating to join the organisation”, wrote the Senegalese SenePlus.
“Senegal can contribute to BRICS with its stability, resources and the momentum of industrial development that we want to create”, she said. Yassin Fall believes that “Senegal has a role to play” within this group of countries. Fall insists that Senegal has arguments in favour of its integration into BRICS.
She sees BRICS as “an alternative for the countries of the South”, to which this group of states gives “more space for exchange, expression and access to monetary and commercial resources”.
Well, Senegal really is interested in BRICS. But to what extent is Senegal itself ready for integration into BRICS in one form or another?
Prospects
Ranked 107th in the world in terms of nominal GDP (18th in Africa) and 102nd in terms of GDP-PPP (also 18th in Africa), Senegal is one of the leaders in terms of economic growth on the continent. According to forecasts by the African Development Bank (ADB), Senegal was expected to rank second in Africa in terms of growth in 2024 (8.2%).
With an area of just over 196,000 km2 and a population of over 18 million people, Senegal is strategically situated, being located between the Maghreb countries, the Sahel region and the countries of West Africa with access to the Atlantic coast. Senegal itself also has access to the Atlantic Ocean.
Despite the fact that the country has long been associated with being one of France’s strategic allies in Africa, today’s Senegal is gradually moving away from this label. This is also reflected in the economic agenda. The main trade and economic partner for Senegalese exports is Mali, which is a member of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and is one of Russia’s main allies in Africa. The main trade and economic partner for imports from abroad is China – and by far. It is worth noting that Russia is one of the main suppliers to Senegal, including of petroleum products and grain.
Many observers in Africa expected a greater rapprochement between Senegal and AES countries, not only because of the close, neighbourly relations between the inhabitants of these countries – and especially in the case of Mali and Senegal – and close economic and trade ties, but also simply because of modern realities observed both in Africa and globally. Perhaps this will happen in the foreseeable future.
In any case, Senegal is unlikely to qualify for full BRICS membership as of now, but it is certainly worth considering the country as a potential partner state of the association, especially in the light of Dakar’s strategic choices both regionally, on the continent continental and internationally. If Senegal can fully adopt a path of pan-African values and a multipolar world, as the AES member countries have done, then Senegal’s prospects, including within BRICS, may be justified fully.
Mikhail Gamandiy-Egorov, entrepreneur, political observer, and expert on Africa and the Middle East
