In this regard, recently admitted nations such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Iran have joined the bloc.

During its mandate, which lasts one year, the Brazilian government will be responsible for the organization of some 100 working meetings between February and July in Brasilia.

The BRICS Summit, a space for deliberation between heads of state and government, is initially scheduled for July in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil chose cooperation with the Global South and the reform of general governance as its axes of action.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has defended in international forums the expansion of the representation of countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America in institutions such as the United Nations Security Council, the World Trade Organization and the World Bank.

Another issue that will be discussed this year by the BRICS and is considered one of the points of tension with the future government of Donald Trump in the United States, is to advance in the construction of a payment system with local currencies in trade between the countries of the bloc, replacing the dollar.

The activities of the group will be concentrated in the first half of the year, since the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30) is scheduled to be held in Belém, capital of the northern state of Pará, in November.

In 2024, Rio hosted the G20 summit, a group of the world’s 19 major economies and the European and African Unions.

The forum addressed a complexity of global challenges and left significant results on issues such as sustainability, the fight against hunger and poverty, and reforms in international governance.

Under Brazil, led by Lula, priority was given to social and environmental issues, marking an inclusive and multilateral approach.

As expected, the president stated at the close of the meeting that the legacy left by his country in the G20 is the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty. The initiative received the support of at least 82 nations, 24 financial organizations, nine funders and philanthropic institutions. The BRICS represents around 40 percent of the global population and 37 percent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product by purchasing power. Ten other nations have also agreed to join the bloc in another category, as associates, and they are to be Cuba, Bolivia, Indonesia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.

Nigeria, Turkey, Algeria and Indonesia are expected to confirm their participation.

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