Rio establishes preparatory committee for upcoming BRICS summit
Rio de Janeiro is set to host the BRICS summit this July, and preparations are already underway to welcome this key forum for political dialogue in the Global South. Local authorities have established the Rio BRICS Committee to coordinate activities and projects related to Brazil's presidency of the group, as well as to plan the year's event calendar.
The decree creating the committee highlights Rio de Janeiro's extensive experience in hosting large-scale international events in collaboration with global organizations, civil society, and various political spheres in Brazil. Notable examples include Rio+20, the 2016 Olympic Games, and the G20 Summit held last year. The decree also mandates that within 60 days, the committee must launch the new commemorative brand, “Rio: Capital of the BRICS,” mirroring the “Rio: Capital of the G20” slogan used in 2024.
In addition, it allows for institutional and financial support for relevant projects and events that may be included in the BRICS Rio Calendar.
As in the case of the G20 in 2024, Brazil is responsible this year for organizing and coordinating meetings of thematic working groups in preparation for the BRICS heads of state summit. Over 100 official meetings are scheduled between February and July, all set to take place in Brasília. For now, only the summit itself has been confirmed to occur in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazilian presidency
On Wednesday (Jan. 1), Brazil assumed the rotating presidency of the BRICS bloc, adopting the theme “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.” The presidency outlined five key priorities: fostering trade and investment among member countries; promoting inclusive and responsible governance of artificial intelligence; enhancing financing to address climate change; advancing cooperation among Global South nations, with an emphasis on public health; and strengthening the institutional framework of the group.
