The 2023 BRICS Leaders Summit will be held in South Africa from August 22 to 24. The summit will discuss issues such as the expansion of the BRICS countries. The meeting drew attention to the organization. Prior to this, Argentina, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other countries expressed their desire to become official members of the BRICS. Anil Sukral, coordinator of BRICS affairs in South Africa, said that more than a dozen countries have already knocked on the door of BRICS. Union of nations.

Kazakhstan is also one of the applicant countries. As a country with rich natural resources, Kazakhstan occupies an important position in Central Asia and is also a potential strategic partner of the BRICS countries. However, to strengthen the relationship between them also need to strengthen mutual cooperation. Judging from the current relationship with the BRICS countries, Kazakhstan is close neighbors to Russia and China, and has a close and friendly relationship with India in general. Although the relationship with Brazil and South Africa is limited, the relationship is still moderate. However, for the Kazakh government, whether it will increase its willingness to join the BRICS depends on the following development trends that are beneficial to it.

First, expand trade cooperation between Kazakhstan and the BRICS countries. Kazakhstan's total exports in 2020 were US$50.9 billion, but trade with BRICS countries alone exceeded US$45 billion in 2021. Kazakh President Tokayev stated in June 2022 that there is still a lot of room for this trade volume to continue to grow in the next few years. If the BRICS countries can reduce trade barriers and increase investment in important areas of Kazakhstan, such as energy, agriculture and mining, and increase the trade volume with Kazakhstan to at least 50 billion US dollars. This will be very beneficial to Kazakhstan as the government is trying to diversify its economy to reduce its dependence on energy and mining.

Second, expand cultural exchanges between Kazakhstan and the BRICS countries. Kazakhstan is a multi-ethnic country with rich historical and cultural heritage. One of the ways to expand cultural exchanges between Kazakhstan and BRICS countries is to organize exchange activities in a planned way, such as film festivals and cultural weeks to promote BRICS and Kazakhstan culture, music, dance, and literature. Kazakhstan has the above-mentioned exchange relations with China and Russia, and more similar activities can be carried out with other BRICS countries.

South Africa is one of the few Kazakhstan embassies in African countries. In March 2023, Kazakhstan's new ambassador to South Africa, Yelgin Akhinzanov, officially submitted his credentials. The next step is to see whether bilateral relations will improve during his tenure. The future direction of bilateral relations between Brazil and Kazakhstan will also depend on the development of the lawsuit between Embraer and Air Astana. In July 2021, Air Astana filed a lawsuit with the New York Supreme Court on the grounds that Embraer violated the terms of the contract and guarantee conditions, resulting in five Embraer E190-300 aircraft purchased by Air Astana. The unsafe flight caused an estimated $11.9 million in damages.

Third, enhanced mobility and connections are critical to improving international relations. A significant increase in tourism to Kazakhstan by the BRICS countries would help strengthen ties in this regard, despite a sharp drop in tourist numbers due to the pandemic. Kazakhstan still received 8.5 million foreign tourists in 2019, and BRICS countries can work together to promote Kazakhstan as a tourist destination by showcasing Kazakhstan's natural beauty, cultural and historical heritage.

In addition, educational exchanges between Kazakhstan and BRICS countries can also be strengthened in various ways. For example, thousands of Indian students are studying in Kazakh universities, and the number will continue to increase. Finally, the BRICS countries could increase their investment in infrastructure such as energy and mining, roads, railways and airports in Kazakhstan, where China is already a major investor in BRI projects. Kazakhstan plans to increase oil production to 100 million tons by 2025, which will be the country's main target for attracting investment.

The entire Kazakh government is positive about joining the BRICS. In June 2022, President Tokayev of Kazakhstan was invited to attend the BRICS High-level Dialogue on Global Development online. In his speech, President Tokayev pointed out that Kazakhstan regards the BRICS countries as an influential organization, believes that the organization is one of the main driving forces of global economic growth, and is willing to develop cooperation with the BRICS countries. Tokayev said: I see great potential in the BRICS+ and the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the Greater Eurasian Partnership, which will open the way to a new era of economic growth and connectivity.

China, South Africa and Russia are all looking to expand their ranks, with the other two member states skeptical. While Brazil agreed in principle to the expansion, the country is still considering its position and is concerned about the group's geographic shift to Asia. At the same time, India also does not agree with the existing member states' proposals on expansion, and hopes to set requirements and standards for membership. In other words, whether Kazakhstan can join the BRICS depends not only on its own will, but also on whether all member states are willing to accept it.

The expansion of the BRICS countries will continue to attract attention and cause controversy. This is not surprising, as the addition of new members would not only change the composition of the BRICS, but would also have global consequences. Judging from recent research results, the expansion of the BRICS countries will have an impact on the world economy. If Kazakhstan were to become a member of the BRICS, the Central Asian nation would bring the group substantial energy resources, energy industry potential, a government committed to carbon neutrality by 2060 and an international transport corridor. Moreover, Kazakhstan is also a country with a good international image.

The BRICS countries can further improve their relations with Kazakhstan by expanding their contacts and interactions with Kazakhstan in the fields of trade, cultural exchanges, people-to-people exchanges and investment. It is not clear whether Kazakhstan's increased ties with the BRICS would allow Kazakhstan to join the group. However, the upcoming BRICS summit in South Africa in August will be closely watched as future membership issues will be on the summit agenda.Editor/XingWentao