BRICS Cooperation: Advancing Collective Progress in a Shifting Global Order

REPORTS - 16 day ago

South Eye | Report

BRICS bloc, now expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, Indonesia, and several partner states, has solidified its role as a pivotal force in reshaping global governance. Under Brazil’s 2025 presidency, the group’s agenda—centered on inclusive development, climate finance, and trade resilience—reflects the growing influence of the Global South in an era marked by geopolitical fragmentation and economic realignment. The XVII Summit in Rio de Janeiro (July 2025) underscored this trajectory, adopting declarations on climate finance, AI governance, and public health while navigating internal divergences and external pressures, including U.S. tariff threats under President Trump .

Expansion and Strategic Weight
The inclusion of Indonesia as a full member and Nigeria as a partner has further amplified BRICS’ demographic and economic clout, with the bloc now representing 46% of global GDP and 55% of the world’s population. This expansion, however, introduces complexities. While China views new members like Indonesia as avenues to deepen regional influence, others, such as Brazil and India, emphasize BRICS as a platform for pragmatic cooperation rather than an anti-Western alliance. Nigeria’s partnership, for instance, underscores Africa’s strategic importance, offering access to critical minerals and energy resources while bolstering intra-BRICS trade diversification .

Economic and Institutional Priorities
Brazil’s presidency has prioritized tangible outcomes over symbolic gestures, focusing on trade facilitation through digital payment systems and local currency settlements—a measured alternative to earlier ambitions of de-dollarization, which drew U.S. retaliation threats. The New Development Bank (NDB) remains a cornerstone, with over $40 billion allocated to infrastructure and green energy projects, though proposals like a BRICS-wide payment system remain nascent. Meanwhile, the bloc’s push for IMF and World Bank reforms—demanding greater voting shares for emerging economies—has gained rhetorical momentum but faces entrenched resistance from Western powers . .

Climate and Health as Unifiers
The Summit’s Framework Declaration on Climate Finance aligns with Brazil’s COP30 agenda, emphasizing adaptation funding for developing nations. Similarly, the Partnership for Eliminating Socially Determined Diseases targets neglected tropical diseases, leveraging BRICS members’ pharmaceutical capacities. These initiatives underscore the bloc’s ability to forge consensus on developmental issues, even amid geopolitical rifts .

Challenges Ahead
The rapid expansion risks diluting cohesion, as seen in debates over WTO reform, where India and South Africa resisted China-backed investment clauses. Meanwhile, U.S. tariff threats loom, testing BRICS’ economic resilience. Brazil’s delicate balancing act—avoiding anti-Western posturing while advancing Southern solidarity—illustrates the tightrope walk facing the bloc as it seeks to institutionalize its role without fracturing under competing interests.

Ultimately, BRICS thrives as a flexible coalition rather than a rigid alliance. Its strength lies in amplifying shared grievances—like unequal global governance—while allowing members to pursue bilateral ties with Western powers. As India prepares to host the 2026 Summit, the group’s ability to translate declaratory ambitions into concrete gains—from climate finance to AI governance—will determine whether it evolves into a transformative force or remains a symbolic counterweight .