Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin will be conspicuously absent as leaders of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies gather in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday.
The countries are expected to deliberate on pressing global issues including trade tensions, conflicts in the Middle East, climate change, and artificial intelligence.
President Bola Tinubu is leading Nigeria’s delegation to the summit, which brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and new members including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Indonesia.
Nigeria, though not a full BRICS member, is participating in key engagements as it seeks to reposition its economy and expand global partnerships.
Tinubu arrived in Rio on Friday night according to his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, and will attend bilateral and multilateral meetings over the weekend, including a high-level session hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
He is also expected to address the summit on Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms and attract investors in sectors such as agriculture, solid minerals, healthcare, and clean energy.
The summit comes at a time when BRICS nations are expected to take a united stand against what they describe as protectionist trade practices by the United States under President Donald Trump.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has intensified his tariff policy, with a new round of duties expected to be announced next week.
Although the final summit declaration is unlikely to mention the U.S. or Trump by name, insiders say it will strongly criticize policies creating economic uncertainty in the global South.
‘We’re anticipating a summit with a cautious tone,’ said Marta Fernandez of the BRICS Policy Center.
‘It will be difficult to mention the United States by name in the final declaration,’ she added.
Xi’s absence, the first in his 12 years as president, is widely seen as a setback to the political weight of the summit.
Analysts say the Chinese leader may be seeking to avoid diplomatic friction with the United States after recent talks to ease trade tensions.
Others suggest internal geopolitical calculations, such as avoiding being overshadowed by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is being hosted with full honours in Brazil.
Also missing is Russian President Putin, who will participate virtually due to his standing arrest warrant over alleged war crimes.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian will not attend either, amid lingering tensions following a brief but intense conflict with Israel.
The absence of key figures like Xi and Putin is a diplomatic blow to host president Lula, who is using the summit to showcase Brazil’s global relevance ahead of a busy international calendar that includes the G20 summit and COP30.
This year’s BRICS Summit is themed ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.’
Deliberations will span global health systems, AI governance, climate finance, and efforts to tackle social and structural challenges facing developing nations.
Negotiations behind the scenes have also been tense, particularly on how the bloc should respond to ongoing wars in Gaza and the Iran-Israel conflict. Iran reportedly wants a firmer joint statement, but divisions persist.
As the summit begins, Brazil’s foreign minister Mauro Vieira expressed hope that BRICS will once again “speak with one voice” on major international issues.
