BRICS Diplomats Convene in Brazil to Counter Trump's Trade Policies

Senior diplomats from BRICS countries, which now include Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and others, are meeting in Brazil to coordinate a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies and sweeping new tariffs. The gathering follows a recent IMF downgrade of global growth forecasts due to these tariffs, with China facing especially high levies and retaliating with substantial duties on U.S. goods. The ministers are negotiating a declaration to reaffirm support for the multilateral trading system and are expected to discuss climate change ahead of the upcoming UN COP30 summit in Brazil. Additional agenda items include addressing global crises such as the war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, and tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as exploring new economic initiatives like a BRICS grain exchange and common payment platforms. The meeting serves as preparation for the upcoming BRICS leaders' summit in July, where further strategic partnerships and crisis management strategies will be outlined.