Luanda: The Angolan president and chairperson of the African Union (AU), Joo Louren§o, returned to Luanda after attending the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a guest. Upon arrival at the 4 de Fevereiro International Airport, the Head of State was welcomed by the Vice President of the Republic, Esperan§a da Costa, along with other dignitaries.
According to Angola Press News Agency, during the two-day meeting, Joo Louren§o highlighted that African nations see the BRICS framework as a significant opportunity to address issues related to financing the continent's development and building the necessary infrastructure to tackle their challenges. Speaking as a guest at the summit, he emphasized the longstanding call from Global South countries for inclusion in discussions and decision-making processes on global development, advocating for fairness and balance in addressing their fundamental concerns.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Angolan president engaged in bilateral meetings with his counterparts from South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, and Uruguay, Yamandº Orsi, further strengthening ties between these nations.
The 17th BRICS Summit, themed 'BRICS for sustainable growth and reformed global governance', brought together leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and newly joined member countries. Initially established in 2009, BRICS expanded in 2024 to include 11 members, with nations like Cuba, Nigeria, Vietnam, and Bolivia participating as observers or invited partners.
The bloc aims to enhance cooperation among Global South countries, push for reforms in multilateral institutions, and advocate for greater representation of emerging countries in international forums such as the UN, IMF, and World Bank. The Rio de Janeiro meeting addressed topics like global health, focusing on diseases tied to poverty and social inequality, and climate change, with a joint climate finance plan for developing countries being presented.
Additionally, discussions on the Governance of Artificial Intelligence revolved around promoting ethical technology use to reduce inequalities. The summit also focused on reforming the international architecture of peace, security, and the institutional development of the New Development Bank (NDB). The Brazilian presidency proposed renewing a five-year Strategic Economic Partnership to boost industrialization in the Global South.
