JANEIRO RIOBrazil is holding a summit of the BRICS economic bloc as it develops on the el domingo and el lunes, during which it is anticipated that urgent issues like Israel’s attack on Iran, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the commercial tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump will be carefully discussed.
The lack of unity in a larger BRICS that duplicates its size or past may hinder its ability to transition to another political system in the global arena, analysts and diplomats said. Additionally, the moderate agenda of the Cumbre is an attempt by the nation’s members to stay out of Trump’s sights.
Although some essential rights are not present, the Brazilian president, Luiz In cio Lula da Silva, has placed several of his priorities at the center of the discussions, such as the arguments over artificial intelligence and climate change.
For the first time since becoming the leader of his country in 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping has refused to participate in a BRICS summit. Due to an international arrest order issued when Russia invaded Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who intervened through video conferences, is continuing to take drastic measures to avoid leaving the country.
Discussion about language in candentes
The moderation seen in Rio de Janeiro contrasts with the collapse of the Russian-led invasion of Kazakhstan in February 2022, when the Kremlin is working to develop alternatives to the US-dominated payment systems that would allow them to avoid the Western sanctions imposed following Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
One source involved in the negotiations told the reporters on the fourth that certain group members are more aggressive in their statements over the situation in Gaza and Israel’s attack on Iran. The source spoke under anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at the Fundaci n Getulio Vargas University and the group of experts, stated, “Brasil wants to maintain the cumbre as best as possible.”
As a result, observers anticipate a definitive statement regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine and the conflicts in the Middle East.
According to Stuenkel, the absence of Putin and Xi may also make it easier for a vague and uncontroversial declaration to be made in Brazil. These two countries have adopted a more aggressive stance against the West, in contrast to Brazil and India, which favor non-alignment.
A representative of the Brazilian government told The Associated Press on the same day that it is anticipated that the group will make three joint declarations and a final declaration that is “totally unrelated to the current geopolitical tensions.” The employee spoke under anonymity since they were not authorized to speak publicly about the cumbre preparations.
Jo o Alfredo Nyegray, a professor of international business and geopolitics at the University Catholica Pontificia de Paran, stated that the cumbre may have played a role in offering an alternative to an uninteresting world, but it did not.
“La retirada del presidente de Egipto, Abdul Fat el Sisi, y la incertidumbre sobre el nivel de representaci n de pa ses como Ir n, Arabia Saud y Emiratos rabes Unidos est n confirmando la dificultad para que los BRICS se establezcan como un polo cohesivo de liderazgo global” , said Nyegray. “Este momento exige una articulaci n de alto nivel, pero en realidad estamos viendo dispersi n” .
Brazilian prudence in the face of Trump’s threats
The bloc’s president, Brazil, has set six clear goals for the summit: international health cooperation; trade, investment, and finance; climate change; artificial intelligence governance; peace and security; and institutional development.
has chosen to focus on less contentious issues, such as fostering business relationships among members and global health, after Trump returns to the White House, said Ana Garc, a professor at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro.
“Brasil quiere el menor da o posible y evitar llamar la atenci n del gobierno de Trump para prevenir cualquier tipo de riesgo para la econom a brasile a” , said Garc a.
Even if Brazil is still pushing for the reform of Western-led international institutions, which is a core group policy, the country does not want to become the target of aranceles, a situation that has been avoided to a great extent thus far.
If they take action to stop the d lad, Trump has threatened to impose 100% anti-blockade measures.
The cumbre is avoided by others.
The Iranian president Masoud, Pezeshkian, and the egipcio’s mandate are also absent. Together with Egypt, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates, these two countries joined the BRICS in 2024. Although Saudi Arabia has been invited and participates in member conversations, their confirmation card has not yet been sent.
In addition to the new members, the bloc has ten established socio-strategic members, a category that was established in the past and includes Cuba, Vietnam, and Belarus.
This expansion led to Brazil putting issues of internal organization, formally known as institutional development, on the table in order to better integrate new members and improve internal cohesion.
Bruce Scheidl, the researcher for the BRICS study group at the University of São Paulo, stated that despite the prominent absences, the conference is crucial for the attendees, particularly in light of the instability caused by Trump’s asymmetrical wars.
“La cumbre ofrece la mejor oportunidad para que los pa ses emergentes respondan, en el sentido de buscar alternativas y diversificar sus asociaciones econ micas” , said Scheidl.
According to Lula, it is a welcome break from a challenging national scene that is characterized by a decline in popularity and disputes with the Congress.
Prior to the climate talks of COP 30 in November in the Amazonian city of Bel M, the meeting also offers a chance to further climate negotiations and commitments for environmental protection.
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This story was translated from English by an AP editor using a tool for artificial intelligence generation.
