The North African nation of Tunisia plans to join BRICS, a bloc of the world’s leading developing economies including Brazil, Russia, Iran, China, and South Africa. Asked about the issue, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said that it was “a sovereign decision” for Tunisia to make.
The coalition of developing nations includes some of the United States’ top adversaries because of their competing system of governance. The United States is a liberal democracy, while many of the governments of BRICS member nations are led by autocrats in a socialist democratic model.
Tunisia had been in negotiations with the European Union (EU), but these negotiations broke down due to EU demands that the Tunisian president be dismissed as a “diktat.”
The announcement that Tunisia would seek partnership with BRICS was made by Mahmoud bin Mabrouk, a spokesman for the July 25 Movement, which supports Tunisian President Kais Saied.
Asked for a comment on the news, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said it was a sovereign affair.
“These are sovereign decisions for each nation to make,” the spokesperson said, adding that the State Department had no further comment.
The State Department comment comes as tensions with both China and Russia are ratcheting up.
China’s ruling communist party has taken an increasingly aggressive posture toward Taiwan. After recent drills, one Chinese military official said the drills showed China could “smash any form of Taiwan independence.”
Leaked classified documents, which the Biden administration has not yet authenticated, revealed details of a planned Ukrainian counterattack, potentially quenching a major offensive action by Russia in its cradle. Russia has also moved nuclear-capable missiles to the border with Ukraine, further escalating tensions.
In comments explaining Tunisia’s move toward BRICS, Mabrouk expressed frustration with the EU, who he said was trying to meddle in Tunisia’s domestic affairs.
“We will accept no dictates or interference in Tunisia’s internal affairs,” Mabrouk said. “We are negotiating the terms, but we refuse to receive instructions and the EU’s agenda.”
Mabrouk described BRICS as “a political, economic, and financial alternative that will enable Tunisia to open up to the new world.”
Illegal Immigration to Europe
On the other hand, Tunisia plays an important role for the EU, acting as one of the primary North African partners in stemming illegal immigration to Europe by sub-Saharan Africans and Middle Easterners. Tunisia is often the final stop for illegal immigrants heading to the European continent, which continues to face an immigration crisis in many areas.The EU is anxious not to see a repeat of 2015, when illegal migration to Europe reached a zenith. While the EU is opposed to Saied’s authoritarian methods, Saied has effectively stemmed the flow of illegal migrants to Europe.
Thus, a breakdown in negotiations with Tunisia could mean another increase in illegal migration to the European continent.
Despite their anxiety to keep illegal immigration levels low, in negotiations over the $1.9 billion IMF loan, EU partners attempted to push Tunisia in a more liberal direction. This, Mabrouk said on April 8, in turn encouraged Tunisia to move toward BRICS.
“Tunisia opened up several opportunities to the EU to give the country economic support,” Mabrouk said. “But the Europeans were slow, which pushed Tunisia to moving toward the BRICS group for funding and investments.
“Tunisia will not persevere with its efforts to conclude an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the provision of financial aid to the republic,” Mabrouk added.
