Cuba took center stage at the 17th BRICS 2025 in Rio de Janeiro this weekend, using the high-profile platform to promote deeper cooperation with emerging economies and strengthen the role of the Global South amid growing geopolitical tensions.
Attending the summit as a partner country, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez underscored Havana’s commitment to international collaboration, particularly in the face of economic and political challenges posed by unilateral actions and global power imbalances.
“We reaffirm our commitment to closer cooperation and shared growth,” Díaz-Canel said during his address at the summit, emphasizing Cuba’s belief in multilateralism, solidarity, and South-South cooperation.
“Our country can be an important hub for the economic development of the Greater Caribbean.”
In a meeting with Dilma Rousseff, President of the New Development Bank (NDB), Díaz-Canel highlighted Cuba’s desire to expand cooperation with the BRICS bloc (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) in areas of mutual interest, including sustainable development, energy, and public health.
The summit, hosted by Brazil from July 6–7, comes at a time of escalating geopolitical tensions, with BRICS leaders criticizing the rise in global tariffs and trade restrictions.
In a joint declaration, the group voiced “serious concerns” over protectionist measures that threaten global trade and stability — a statement widely viewed as an indirect rebuke of recent U.S. policies.
Díaz-Canel also met with various BRICS leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to explore avenues for cooperation. Among the topics discussed with Modi were technology, health and energy, and the growing acceptance of Ayurveda in Cuba.
Beyond economic matters, Cuba used the summit to express strong political positions. President Díaz-Canel reiterated Cuba’s condemnation of what he described as the ongoing genocide against the Palestinians by Israel, “perpetrated with continuous political, military, and financial support from the United States.”
His remarks were met with solidarity among several participating nations.
“The BRICS platform must not abandon the ideals of peace, dialogue, mutual respect, and cooperation,” the Cuban president stated, warning against the erosion of international norms in the face of power politics.
As BRICS 2025 continues to evolve into a more inclusive platform for the developing world, Cuba’s active participation signals its intention to play a greater role in shaping a fairer world order. For Havana, the summit in Brazil was not only an opportunity for dialogue but a declaration of its readiness to engage with the world on equal footing.
From our staff writers and editors.
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