What’s on BRICS’ collective mind?

Today (July 25 th) and tomorrow, foreign ministers of the BRICS countries meet in Rio de Janeiro. BRICS -Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — will have its annual summit in Brasília in November. The foreign ministers will discuss what their principals will talk about later in the year.

But there are some hints already of what’s on BRICS’ collective mind. When the leaders last met at the G20 in Osaka in June, they condemned “protectionism and unilateralism”. It was an obvious swipe at Donald Trump’s mindset and tactics. And last week, a spokesperson for China’s foreign minister suggested the meeting in Basilia would be important in “upholding multilateralism, the basic norms governing international relations and the BRICS solidarity and co-operation”.

What BRICS can — or will — do about upholding multilateralism is not clear.

But they can at least talk. Sometimes that’s a way forward.

Originally published at https://www.rashmee.com on July 25, 2019.