By Spy Uganda
In a landmark declaration at the XVII BRICS Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro from July 6 to 7, leaders of the BRICS countries have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening South-South cooperation under the theme: “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.”
The summit, hosted by Brazil under the BRICS 2025 chairmanship, emphasized the group’s dedication to mutual respect, sovereign equality, solidarity, democracy, openness, and consensus — core principles of BRICS’ multilateral engagements over the past 17 years.
“We further commit ourselves to strengthening cooperation in the expanded BRICS under the three pillars of political and security, economic and financial, cultural and people-to-people cooperation,” read part of the Rio de Janeiro Declaration.
Uganda Recognized Among New BRICS Partners
One of the major highlights was the formal welcome of the Republic of Indonesia as a full BRICS member, alongside the recognition of several new BRICS partner countries, including:
- Republic of Uganda
- Republic of Belarus
- Plurinational State of Bolivia
- Republic of Kazakhstan
- Republic of Cuba
- Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Malaysia
- Kingdom of Thailand
- Socialist Republic of Vietnam
- Republic of Uzbekistan
The inclusion of Uganda and other countries signals a bold expansion of the BRICS influence, especially in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The declaration also marked a pivotal moment for global governance efforts, with the adoption of two major frameworks:
- The BRICS Leaders’ Framework Declaration on Climate Finance
- The BRICS Leaders’ Statement on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence
Additionally, the summit endorsed the launch of the BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases, underlining the bloc’s commitment to health equity and sustainable development.
“These initiatives reflect our joint efforts to foster inclusive and sustainable solutions to pressing global issues,” the declaration stated.
Leaders at the summit expressed a shared desire to promote “a more representative, fairer international order” and a “reinvigorated and reformed multilateral system.” This ambition reaffirms BRICS’ role as a counterbalance to traditional Western-dominated global institutions.
As BRICS enters its next phase of influence, the Rio Summit stands out as a turning point — not only expanding its geographic footprint but also redefining its mission around digital governance, health justice, and inclusive growth.
