On behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, is leading the UAE delegation at the 17th BRICS Summit. The summit is taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6 to 7, 2025.
The UAE officially joined the BRICS group in August 2023 during the 15th BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, marking a significant milestone in the country’s foreign and economic policy. BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is a prominent bloc representing emerging and developing economies, collectively accounting for about 45 percent of the world’s population and nearly 29 percent of global GDP. The UAE’s accession to BRICS reflects its strategic intent to deepen multilateral cooperation, enhance trade relations with the Global South, and participate actively in shaping global economic governance.
Supporting Vision 2031
Before full membership, the UAE had already engaged with BRICS as a long-term partner, joining the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) in 2021. The NDB, established in 2015, mobilizes resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries, aligning with the UAE’s focus on sustainable growth and innovation. The UAE’s sovereign wealth funds, with assets exceeding a $1 trillion, position it as a significant shareholder in the NDB, underscoring its financial commitment to the bloc’s development agenda.
The UAE’s inclusion in BRICS aligns with its broader foreign policy goals, including promoting peace, security, and economic prosperity through multilateralism and constructive dialogue. It also complements the UAE’s Vision 2031, which emphasizes economic diversification, knowledge-based development, and strengthening international partnerships. The country’s leadership sees BRICS as a platform to balance global economic interests, foster inclusive development, and expand access to new markets, without pivoting away from existing alliances such as those with the United States and the European Union.
