By benadeta mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, January 22,2026 - As the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) enters its India-led 2026 chairship, geopolitical strategists say the bloc’s evolution is reshaping the global order, accelerating a shift from a predominantly Western-led system to a multipolar world where emerging powers assert greater influence in economics, trade, finance and governance.
Originally imagined in the early 2000s as a loose coalition of developing economies, BRICS has since grown to include partner states from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, expanding its demographic and economic footprint. Together, BRICS and its partners now represent a significant share of global population and GDP, boosting both political weight and negotiating leverage on the world stage.
Multipolarity Over Unipolarity
Experts say the renewed emphasis on multipolarity, championed at recent summits and reaffirmed in BRICS declarations, reflects dissatisfaction with unilateral economic and security dominance by traditional Western powers. Instead of one centre of influence, global power is dispersing among several key players with diverse economic systems, strategic interests and developmental priorities.
For example, leaders at BRICS meetings have underscored the importance of strengthened multilateralism, where no single nation or bloc dictates the global agenda, and broader representation for emerging markets in global governance structures such as the United Nations.
There is also discussion among member states about new financial tools, including enhanced use of national currencies for cross-border trade and central bank digital currency linkages, aimed at reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar in international transactions.
BRICS Growth and African Participation
Africa’s role in BRICS has expanded in recent years. Countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia and Nigeria have joined as full members or partners, while South Africa is a founding member of the original bloc. This African presence adds demographic weight to BRICS and signals greater inclusion of Global South perspectives in discussions on trade, development and financial architecture.
Experts say that BRICS expansion offers opportunities for African trade, especially through stronger partnerships and financing arrangements that complement continental initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a framework aimed at boosting intra-African trade and value addition.
What Multipolarity Means for Kenya
For Kenya, the emerging multipolar world presents both opportunities and strategic considerations:
1. Access to New Markets and Finance
As BRICS member and partner economies deepen cooperation, Kenyan exporters could benefit from diversified trade routes beyond traditional Western markets. With blocs like BRICS and regional groupings strengthening economic ties, demand for African goods, services and investment could grow in Asia, the Middle East and among BRICS partners. This could help offset volatility in established markets, including uncertainties around preferential trade access like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
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2. Alternative Development Finance
The New Development Bank (NDB), a multilateral institution created by BRICS, offers loans with potentially fewer policy conditions than traditional lenders such as the IMF or World Bank. Kenya and other African countries may find new avenues for infrastructure, climate and industrial financing that align with national development priorities.
3. Shifts in International Governance
BRICS pushes for more representative global institutions, including reforms in the United Nations and World Trade Organization. For African nations seeking more influence in global rule-making, this agenda underscores the importance of engaging in multipolar diplomacy to ensure regional interests are heard in wider forums.
4. Currency and Payments Innovation
Initiatives to link central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) among BRICS members and encourage trade in local currencies could reduce dependence on global reserve currencies like the U.S. dollar. While this does not immediately replace established systems, it signals increased experimentation with alternatives that could, over time, affect how African economies transact internationally.
Balancing Risks and Opportunities
While multipolarity offers strategic opportunities, analysts caution there are risks: Geopolitical competition could heighten regional tensions as power centres expand influence, often reflecting divergent priorities among members. BRICS includes democracies, state-led systems and competing regional visions, which can complicate unified action.
Global investors may react cautiously to rapid shifts in economic alliances and financial systems, especially if alternative systems are perceived as unstable or politically fraught. Kenya’s policy direction matters: To benefit from multipolar dynamics, Kenya must actively pursue trade diplomacy, investment facilitation and engagement with both Western and emerging markets rather than relying solely on traditional alignments.
A World in Transition
The BRICS push for a multipolar world is less about replacing existing institutions and more about creating new centres of influence and cooperation frameworks that reflect evolving economic realities. India’s 2026 chairship emphasises dialogue, multilateralism and cooperation across diverse global partnerships, even as global tensions around trade, security and finance continue to shape the geopolitical landscape.
For African nations and Kenya in particular, engaging with this shifting architecture will be critical to securing trade opportunities, development finance and diplomatic relevance in a world where power and partnerships are no longer concentrated in one corner.
