Foreign ministers from BRICS nations concluded a two-day meeting in Rio de Janeiro this week with a unified call to strengthen multilateral cooperation and address growing trade tensions. The Chair's Statement, released Tuesday, outlines the bloc’s shared priorities, including modernizing global trade systems and countering “unfair unilateral practices” disrupting economic stability.
Highlighting the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the cornerstone of equitable commerce, ministers emphasized the need for reforms to ensure a rules-based framework that benefits developing economies. The statement expressed concern over “abuse of reciprocal tariffs” and protectionist measures undermining growth in the Global South.
“International trade must serve as an engine for reducing inequality, not exacerbating it,” the document noted, stressing sustainable development and poverty reduction as core goals. Ministers reaffirmed support for the UN Charter’s principles, condemning efforts to weaken multilateral institutions like the UN and WTO.
With rising geopolitical friction, the bloc’s emphasis on equality and mutual respect in human rights cooperation underscores its strategy to position BRICS as a stabilizing force. Analysts suggest these discussions may set the agenda for November’s BRICS Summit in Russia.
