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EXPERT COMMENT

Brazil wants to pursue an important multilateral agenda. But an expanded membership’s reaction to the war may tilt the group away from Rio’s long-standing goals.

On 6-7 July the founding BRICS member countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa will convene in Rio de Janeiro, joined by the full freshman class of new ‘BRICS+’ members: Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE – and Iran. 

Coming just after the Israeli and US bombing of Iran, the summit will present the first real test of the coalition. BRICS has been touted as a forum for emerging economies to exert collective pressure for inclusive global governance reform, and Brazil wants to champion that mission. 

But the Iran–Israel war – and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – will likely create dangerous distractions to an effective summit outcome along the lines that Brazil had hoped when it assumed the bloc’s presidency.

Click here to continue reading the full version of this Expert Comment on the Chatham House website.