BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro have condemned attacks on Iran, Gaza and Kashmir, while presenting the expanded bloc as a rising force for multilateralism in a world dominated by U.S.-led policies.
At the summit held at Rio's Museum of Modern Art on Sunday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva invoked the legacy of the Cold War’s Non-Aligned Movement, describing BRICS as its successor amid what he called renewed threats to global autonomy and diplomacy.
“BRICS is the heir to the Non-Aligned Movement,” Lula told assembled leaders. “With multilateralism under attack, our autonomy is in check once again.”
The group, which now includes 11 member states after adding Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE last year, collectively represents more than half the global population and 40% of world economic output. This is the first BRICS summit to include Indonesia as a full member.
While Chinese President Xi Jinping was absent—sending Premier Li Qiang in his place—and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended online due to an ICC arrest warrant, leaders from India, South Africa, and host nation Brazil were present. More than 30 additional nations have expressed interest in joining the bloc.
In a joint statement released Sunday, BRICS leaders condemned attacks on Iranian nuclear and civilian infrastructure and expressed “grave concern” over Israel’s operations in Gaza. They also denounced a “terrorist attack” in Indian-administered Kashmir.
On trade, the bloc issued a pointed warning that the “indiscriminate rising in tariffs” threatens global commerce—a veiled critique of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff-driven trade strategy. The statement also backed Ethiopia and Iran’s accession to the World Trade Organization and urged a revival of its dispute resolution mechanisms.
As BRICS positions itself as a voice for the Global South, Lula renewed calls to reform international bodies like the United Nations Security Council and the IMF to reflect “the new multipolar reality of the 21st century”.
Despite internal differences, BRICS said it's advancing new initiatives, including a Multilateral Guarantees mechanism via the New Development Bank aimed at lowering investment risk and boosting development finance.
On climate, Brazil has used the summit to amplify the Global South’s role in conservation. Officials said China and the UAE signalled support for Brazil’s proposed Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a fund targeting forest protection globally, in talks with Finance Minister Fernando Haddad.
The summit's tone and declarations suggest BRICS is broadening its global influence as a counterweight to traditional Western-dominated institutions, even as questions remain over the cohesion of its increasingly diverse membership.
Georgia is increasing its focus on regional connectivity and infrastructure cooperation with Armenia, as competition over new transport routes and cha...
More than 661,000 citizens of Uzbekistan have registered on licensed cryptocurrency platforms, as the country continues to formalise and regulate its ...
The former British ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson has been arrested by police in London on suspicion of misconduct in public office....
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said nuclear talks with United States have “yielded encouraging signals” stressing Iran’s readiness “f...
At least 25 members of Mexico's National Guard have died during a wave of violence in the state of Jalisco after the killing of a drug lord, the count...
Central Asia’s population could reach 96 million by 2040, according to the head of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), highlighting both the region’s economic potential and the growing strain on infrastructure, trade routes and long-term development models.
A British national was among at least 19 people killed when a passenger bus plunged off a mountain highway into the Trishuli river in Nepal before dawn on Monday (23 February), authorities said. A New Zealander and a Chinese national were among those injured.
Against a backdrop of mounting environmental pressure across Central Asia, the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has announced that the Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026 will take place from 22–24 April in Astana.
Iran has signed a secret €500 million arms deal with Russia to rebuild air defences, weakened during last year’s war with Israel, the Financial Times has reported. The agreement, signed in December in Moscow, will see Russia deliver 500 Verba launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles over three years.
A seven-month-old Japanese macaque has drawn international attention after forming an unusual bond with a stuffed orangutan toy after being rejected by its mother.
Divers have recovered the bodies of seven Chinese tourists and a Russian driver after their minibus broke through the ice of on Lake Baikal in Russia, authorities said.
Pakistan said it carried out cross-border strikes on militant targets inside Afghanistan after blaming a series of recent suicide bombings, including attacks during the holy month of Ramadan, on fighters it said were operating from Afghan territory.
Italy said a fond farewell to the Winter Olympics on Sunday with an open-air ceremony in the ancient Verona Arena that celebrated art and sporting achievement at a Games lauded as a model for how to stage such events.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has approved new sanctions targeting Russian maritime operators, defence-linked companies and individuals connected to Moscow’s military and energy sectors, according to official decrees issued on Saturday.
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said on Monday it had received “credible reports” that at least 13 civilians were killed and seven others injured in overnight Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan.
The former British ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson has been arrested by police in London on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
At least 25 members of Mexico's National Guard have died during a wave of violence in the state of Jalisco after the killing of a drug lord, the country's security minister has said.
The European Parliament on Monday (23 February) postponed a vote on the EU’s trade deal with the U.S. after President Donald Trump imposed a blanket 15% import duty.
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned key elements of President Donald Trump’s global tariff policy, creating uncertainty ahead of his March meeting with China’s Xi Jinping. The ruling raises fresh questions about the future of U.S.-China trade relations and the stability of the global economy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment