BRICS Adopts Rio Declaration, Welcomes Indonesia as New Member
Rio de Janeiro, The Gulf Observer: Leaders of the BRICS economic bloc officially adopted the Rio Declaration at the conclusion of their 17th summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6–7. According to an official statement released on Sunday, the declaration reaffirms BRICS’ shared commitment to strengthening multilateralism and reforming the global governance architecture to foster a more just, inclusive, and democratic world order.
Convened under the theme “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,” the summit addressed imbalances in global power structures and emphasized the need for frameworks that reflect 21st-century geopolitical realities.
“We reiterate our commitment to reforming and improving global governance by promoting a more just, equitable, agile, effective, efficient, responsive, representative, legitimate, democratic and accountable international and multilateral system in the spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits,” the Rio Declaration states.
The declaration strongly underscores the importance of the United Nations and advocates comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, calling for increased representation of developing countries — particularly from Africa, Asia, and Latin America — in international decision-making forums.
Notably, Indonesia was formally welcomed as a new full member of BRICS. In addition, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Uganda, and Uzbekistan were introduced as partner countries, marking a significant expansion of the group’s global reach and influence.
The summit also produced three key outcomes alongside the Rio Declaration:
- The Framework Declaration on Climate Finance,
- The Statement on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, and
- The endorsement of the Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases.
“These initiatives reflect our joint efforts to foster inclusive and sustainable solutions to pressing global issues,” the leaders affirmed in their concluding statement.
Formed in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China and later joined by South Africa in 2010, BRICS has in recent years expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and now Indonesia. The bloc continues to assert itself as a key voice of the Global South, championing multipolarism and institutional reform at a time of shifting global dynamics.
