BRICS Previous Summits

The 16th Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held from October 22 to 24, 2024, in Kazan, Russia, under the theme "Strengthening Multilateralism for Fair Global Development and Security". The meeting marked an expansion of the BRICS with the inclusion of five new members: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, and Iran. Member states advocated for the strengthening of multilateralism to promote a more just and democratic world order; the enhancement of cooperation to promote global and regional stability and safety; the promotion of economic and financial cooperation for a just global development; and the intensification of people exchange to foster social and economic development. The meeting approved the creation of the BRICS partner country status as well as the criteria for acceding to this category. It reaffirmed the need for all countries to cooperate for the promotion and protection of human rights, both in the context of the BRICS and in multilateral forums, in a non-selective and non-politicized manner. It highlighted concerns about the harmful effects of unilateral and illegal coercive measures over the economy and international trade, underscoring their negative impacts on economic growth and in the areas of energy and health, as well as food and environmental safety. Furthermore, it expressed concern over the continuity of world conflicts and the instability in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

A 15ª Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held from August 22 to 24, 2023, in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism”. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to inclusive multilateralism, with the United Nations (UN) at its center, and to the defense of international law norms, following the principles of the UN Charter. They reiterated the need for greater representativeness of emerging markets and developing countries in international organizations and multilateral forums. They stressed the need for global governance reform and cooperation in climate security and energy transition. It was decided that the Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Presidents would be responsible for promoting studies about the intra-BRICS instruments and payment platforms. It recognized the central role of the New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement in the international financial and monetary system. Upon its decision to expand the group, member states negotiated the guiding principles, patterns, criteria, and procedures for the adhesion of new members. It was decided that the Ministers of Foreign Affairs would be responsible for developing the BRICS partner country category. For the first time, the group mentioned the support for the legitimate aspirations of Brasil, India, and South Africa to play a more prominent role in the international arena, particularly at the UN Security Council.

The 14th Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held on June 23 and 24, 2022,  online, presided over by China, under the theme “Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development”. The meeting focused on the promotion of food and energy security in the face of global crises, underscoring cooperation among the BRICS countries to promote post-pandemic economic recovery. It reaffirmed its members’ commitment to multilateralism, with the peaceful resolution of differences and disputes among countries through dialog and consultation, and the support to the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop its leadership role in global health governance. It underscored the need for more inclusive, representative, and participatory instruments of global governance to foster greater participation of developing countries, particularly from Africa, in global decision-making processes. It highlighted the group’s commitment to the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to combat climate change and protect biodiversity. Moreover, it highlighted the importance of innovative and inclusive solutions, including digital and technological tools, to promote sustainable development and facilitate equitable access to global public assets.

The 13th Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held on September 9, 2021, online, presided over by India, under the theme “BRICS @ 15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus”. The meeting celebrated the group’s 15th anniversary and reiterated its commitment to intra-BRICS cooperation under three pillars - politics and safety; economy and finance; and culture and interpersonal exchanges. It emphasized the need to expand BRICS cooperation to counter health challenges and revitalize global economic growth in the post-pandemic context, aiming for a transition to a green and inclusive economy. It reaffirmed its members’ commitment to the Paris Agreement and underscored cooperation in renewable energy. The meeting adopted or finalized the Agreement on the Cooperation on BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation, the BRICS Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, the Counter-Terrorism Action Plan, the 2021-2024 Action Plan for Agricultural Cooperation, the 2021-2024 Action Plan for Cooperation in Innovation, and the BRICS Alliance for Green Tourism.

The 12th Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held on November 17, 2020, online, hosted by Saint Petersburg, Russia, under the theme “BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth”. The meeting addressed the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on an inclusive economic recovery, cooperation in public health, and the development of vaccines, while recognizing the need for widespread immunization to combat the Coronavirus pandemic. It reiterated the support for multilateralism, condemning protectionist and unilateral measures and advocating for greater inclusion of emerging countries in global economic governance. It also reiterated its members’ support for a comprehensive reform of international financial institutions and multilateral institutions such as the UN, the WTO, the WHO, and the IMF.

The 11th Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held on November 14, in  Brasilia, Brasil, under the theme “BRICS: Economic Growth for an Innovative Future”. The meeting emphasized the traditional call for global governance reform and the need to strengthen trade and investment among the group’s countries, while also reinforcing the advocacy for a multilateral trade system centered on the WTO. It emphasized the member states’ commitment to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the Agenda 2030, exhorting the developed countries to provide financial and technological resources and assistance to developing countries to support mitigation and adaptation efforts. It also addressed issues such as cybersecurity and global health.

The 10th Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held from July 25 to 27, 2018, in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme “BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the 4th Industrial Revolution”. Discussions focused on issues related to multilateralism and global governance reform, particularly the United Nations Security Council. The meeting addressed issues related to gender inequality and women’s rights, the development of the youth population, employment and the future of work, urbanization, and migration. It emphasized the role of women in promoting inclusive development, underscoring the efforts of the group to establish the BRICS Women´s Forum and the BRICS Women´s Business Alliance. It emphasized the advantages and opportunities brought forth by the advancements of Information and Communication Technologies (ITCs), particularly in the context of the 4th Industrial Revolution, recognizing, nonetheless, the challenges that result from the ill-use of these technologies. It recommended the establishment of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR). Furthermore, it commended the initiative to establish the BRICS Working Group on tourism, recognizing the vast potential of this activity for sustainable social and economic development.

A 9ª Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held on September 4, 2017, in Xiamen, China, under the theme “BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future”. The group highlighted the success of cooperation initiatives among its members, notably through the implementation of the BRICS Strategy for Economic Partnership. The meeting underscored the commitments to facilitate trade and investment; connectivity and expanded sharing of policies; information exchange and capacity-building; service trade, electronic trade, and cooperation in intellectual property rights. Based on the principles of innovation, partnership, and trust, member states committed to guaranteeing the means to establish a prosperous and dynamic digital economy to bolster global economic development. They agreed to improve the role of the BRICS in the governance of global health, particularly in the context of the WHO and UN agencies, and to improve the availability of innovative, effective, and affordable medical resources. They also underscored the importance of joint actions to reduce the risk of disasters, recalling the decision to establish a BRICS Joint Task Force on Disaster Risk Management in 2016.

The 8th Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held on October 15 and 16, 2016, in Goa, India, under the theme “Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions”. The five countries noted with satisfaction the operationalization of the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), particularly the approval of the first set of NDB loans for renewable energy projects. It stressed the need for a UN reform, including the Security Council, supporting the participation of developing countries. The group commended the adoption of the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reaffirming the BRICS countries’ commitment to lead the implementation of the aforementioned Agenda. It recognized that sustainable development, access to clean and renewable energy, and energy safety are key to the prosperity and the future of the planet. Moreover, it stressed the importance of taking measures to combat HIV and tuberculosis, challenges faced by the BRICS countries.

The 7th Meeting of the BRICS Summit was held on July 9, 2015, in Ufa, Russia, under the theme “BRICS Partnership–a Powerful Factor of Global Development”. The meeting adopted a strategy for a BRICS Economic Partnership aiming to expand trade and investment; financial cooperation; cooperation in the fields of energy, agriculture, industry, and mineral processing; cooperation in science, technology, and innovation; and connectivity and cooperation in ICTs among BRICS countries. It condemned the unilateral military interventions and economic sanctions that violate international law and the universally recognized norms of international relations. It mentioned the potential for expanding the use of national currencies in transactions among BRICS countries and determined that authorities from BRICS countries discuss the viability of a wider use of national currencies in mutual trade. It also reaffirmed that the exploration and utilization of outer space should serve exclusively peaceful purposes and advocated that Internet governance should be based on an open and democratic space, free from the influence of any unilateral considerations.