Rio de Janeiro’s 17th BRICS Summit saw Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warmly welcoming Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to the gathering. This marked President Prabowo’s first participation in the BRICS forum as Indonesia’s head of state, now a full-fledged member.
President Lula’s address included a personal greeting to Prabowo, highlighting the significance of Indonesia’s role in the BRICS Summit. He also referenced the historic 1955 Asian-African Conference in Bandung, Indonesia, which emphasized independence from dominant powers and laid the foundation for the Bandung Non-Aligned Movement.
Drawing connections between BRICS and the Bandung spirit, President Lula underscored the importance of a multipolar international order that rejects the division of the world into spheres of influence. The summit provided a platform for leaders to engage in discussions on political and security challenges, global governance reforms, and enhanced multilateral cooperation.
With Indonesia becoming a full member of BRICS from January 1, 2025, this year’s summit focused on a wide range of issues, including economic cooperation, artificial intelligence governance, environmental action, climate policy, and global health. The presence of leaders from newly admitted member states like Ethiopia, Egypt, the UAE, and Iran added diversity to the forum, complementing the founding nations of BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
