Summarize what happened at the BRICS summit
Asked 8 hours ago
Answer
At the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, leaders condemned rising tariffs and attacks on Iran, criticized Israeli military actions, and warned that such actions threaten global trade and supply chains. The summit highlighted the bloc's expansion to include new members and its push for a multipolar world and greater representation for the Global South. However, the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin raised concerns about the bloc's unity. The agenda included discussions on artificial intelligence, climate change, and health, but internal tensions and questions about BRICS' cohesion and global impact were prominent.
References
The BRICS bloc condemned the increase of tariffs and attacks on Iran, warning these actions threaten global trade and supply chains. The group also criticized Israeli military actions, avoided direct criticism of Russia, and only briefly mentioned Ukraine. The summit was marked by the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, raising concerns about the bloc's unity.
The 17th BRICS Summit saw heightened security and an expanded membership, with new countries like Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, the UAE, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia (pending formalization) joining. The summit focused on promoting a multipolar world and greater representation for the Global South, but unity was questioned due to the absence of China's president and Russia's president attending online.
Prior to the summit, China failed to convince BRICS foreign ministers to take a stronger stance against US tariffs. The forum's achievements include creating a development bank for the Global South. The summit agenda covered health, climate change, and artificial intelligence, but the bloc's organization and global impact remain limited.
Brazil launched a major security operation for the summit, deploying 2,000 marines and restricting access to key areas. Leaders from South Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia attended, while both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were absent, highlighting tensions within the alliance.