BRICS Divisions Exposed as Ministers Fail to Agree
Ministers from the expanded BRICS bloc could not agree on a joint statement Tuesday in Rio. The failure exposed serious BRICS divisions, particularly over UN Security Council reform. Egypt and Ethiopia rejected language favoring South Africa for a reformed Council seat. Despite these tensions, Brazil’s chair statement condemned “unjustified unilateral protectionist measures” – a clear reference to recent U.S. tariff actions. The disagreements highlight challenges facing the recently enlarged 11-member group ahead of July’s leaders summit.
BRICS Divisions Emerge Over UN Reform
The most significant BRICS rifts appeared over proposed United Nations reforms. Egypt and Ethiopia reportedly refused to accept language calling for Security Council restructuring – a longstanding goal of founding members Brazil, India, and South Africa.
A diplomatic source revealed that newer African members objected to positioning South Africa as the preferred BRICS candidate for a reformed Security Council.
“The expansion has its costs. Of course we have to work more to reach a consensus,” said one source familiar with the negotiations. “But, at the same time, an expanded group has more power, more resources, more space for cooperation.”
Trade Protectionism Condemned Despite Disagreements
Despite these BRICS rifts, the chair statement expressed “serious concern at the prospect of a fragmented global economy and the weakening of multilateralism.”
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira emphasized, “There was a consensus among all the countries, which is expressed in the declaration.”
The statement specifically condemned “unjustified unilateral protectionist measures inconsistent with WTO rules, including indiscriminate raising of reciprocal tariffs and non-tariff measures.” While not explicitly naming the United States, the statement clearly referenced concerns about President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies.
Expanded Membership Creates New Challenges
The Rio meeting marked one of the first major gatherings since BRICS expanded from five to eleven members in January 2024, adding Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran.
The failure to produce a unified declaration underscores the growing pains as BRICS rifts become more apparent with its expanded membership. Diplomats noted that China, facing 145% tariffs in its trade dispute with the United States, had pushed for even stronger language condemning protectionism.
Opportunity for Resolution Before Leaders’ Summit
Despite current BRICS rifts, diplomatic sources expressed optimism that differences could be resolved before the leaders’ summit scheduled for July in Rio de Janeiro.
“The main thing for BRICS is to ensure that the multilateral trade system doesn’t fall apart completely,” a Brazilian diplomat told Reuters.
Source
Reuters – Growing BRICS group shows internal rifts as ministers fall short of joint statement
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