Rio de Janeiro - Saba:
The leaders of the BRICS countries are meeting in Rio de Janeiro starting Sunday, in the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, seeking to form a united front against Donald Trump's protectionist policies, even without mentioning the US president by name.
The leaders of the Group of 11 major emerging economies, including Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa, are holding their annual two-day meeting amid tight security in Guanabara Bay, amid the trade war initiated by Trump with the imposition of strict tariffs.
According to the draft final statement, the participants intend to express "their grave concern about the increase in unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that distort trade and are inconsistent with World Trade Organization rules."
The 11 countries, according to the text, which could still be amended during the summit, consider these measures to threaten to "further restrict global trade" and "affect the prospects for global economic development."
Thus, emerging countries, which represent nearly half the world's population and 40% of global GDP, are clearly targeting the US president and the series of tough tariffs he has imposed. However, they are avoiding specifically mentioning Trump at a time when several countries, including China, the largest power in the BRICS group, are engaged in negotiations with Washington on this issue.
For the first time in 12 years, the Chinese president will be absent from the summit, where his country is considered the dominant power, as will Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The discussions will also address the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
Negotiators reached a consensus on Saturday on how to mention it in the final statement, according to a source involved in the discussions.
Tehran wants the BRICS countries to toughen their tone, but the document is expected to maintain "the same language" it used in a BRICS statement issued at the end of June, according to the source.
In that statement, the emerging nations condemned the "military attacks" on Iran without mentioning Israel or the United States, and emphasized the "urgent need to break the cycle of violence and restore peace."
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dispatched his Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to Rio de Janeiro.