The handover of the BRICS presidency is steeped in symbolism. In 2024, Brazil had received from Russia a steel gavel — a symbol of industrial strength. As Brazil passed the presidency to India last Friday, it handed over a gavel made of recycled wood from the Amazon rainforest. The gesture, according to Brazil’s BRICS sherpa Mauricio Lyrio, was meant to carry forward the ethos that defined his country’s presidency. “The gavel represents both sustainability and the deep roots of cooperation that unite the countries of the group. Through this gesture, confidence in India’s upcoming presidency is reaffirmed, along with the commitment to support its efforts to advance the BRICS agenda,” said Lyrio, as he handed over the gavel to Sudhakar Dalela, India’s sherpa to BRICS.
The BRICS sherpas’ meeting in Brasilia on December 11 and 12 went beyond symbolism as it assessed the outcomes of Brazil’s presidency, which formally ends on December 31. Bringing together negotiators from all 11 members, the meeting was a stock-taking exercise of achievements through 2025. Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira described the process as an effort that moved well beyond BRICS’ traditional agenda as he emphasised that the grouping’s relevance would increasingly be measured by its impact on the everyday life of people. “Major international issues will remain central to our work, but our societies also expect us to deliver concrete results from our initiatives,” Mr. Vieira said.
