BRICS Leaders Agree on Joint Approach to Technology, Finance, and Global Challenges
BRICS leaders call for global efforts for AI governance at Rio summit
At the 17th BRICS Summit, held on 6 July 2025 at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, the world’s largest emerging economies adopted a historic declaration that places artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, and technology governance at the heart of their global cooperation agenda. Under the theme ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance‘, the leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping — now representing eleven nations – committed to advancing an alternative vision for digital governance that reflects the priorities of developing countries.
The joint declaration, signed after months of negotiations involving over 200 meetings, contains 126 commitments spanning global governance, finance, health, climate change, and, for the first time, AI. The Summit also produced three additional agreements, including a Leaders’ Declaration on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, underscoring the bloc’s growing focus on technology.
The BRICS countries jointly recognised the transformative power of AI for economic growth and sustainable development, but emphasised the urgent need for a governance framework that addresses risks while ensuring fair access for developing nations. The declaration calls for a ‘collective global effort’ to shape AI governance based on shared values, inclusiveness, and transparency. It stresses the importance of ensuring that AI technologies benefit all, particularly the Global South, which has often been left out of global technology debates.
The leaders agreed that future AI frameworks must not only prioritise security and ethical risks but also bridge the digital divide. Their message was clear: global AI governance must evolve beyond the interests of major tech powers and ensure equitable development, capacity-building, and knowledge-sharing for emerging economies. This stance reflects growing concerns that developing countries are too often marginalised in global discussions about new technologies.
Digital and financial governance were also major themes throughout the Summit. BRICS nations called for reforms in global financial institutions to give greater voice to emerging economies, particularly in IMF quotas and World Bank voting shares. The leaders argued that current structures fail to reflect the global economic landscape, reinforcing outdated hierarchies in decision-making.
Beyond technology and finance, the Summit also addressed pressing challenges in climate action and health. BRICS nations endorsed the Tropical Forest Forever Fund (TFFF), a new mechanism to mobilise long-term funding for tropical forest conservation. This move sets the stage for joint climate financing efforts ahead of COP30, which Brazil will also host later this year.
In health, BRICS launched the Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases, an initiative aimed at addressing the root causes of health inequities, such as poverty and social exclusion. The Summit also reaffirmed a joint commitment to strengthening global health governance, calling for a more inclusive and cooperative approach to pandemic preparedness and response.
Crucially, the leaders presented their vision for a multipolar world that promotes peace, security, and international stability, with a strong emphasis on dialogue and equitable development. They voiced deep concerns over increasing global military expenditures and attempts to link security issues with climate policies, warning against the politicisation of these urgent matters.
