Addis Ababa, September 12, 2026 (FMC) — The 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit has opened in New Delhi, bringing together leaders and senior representatives of the expanded BRICS membership alongside partner countries, invited nations and heads of major international institutions for high-level discussions on global governance, economic cooperation and sustainable development.
Hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi under India’s 2026 chairship theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” the two-day summit is taking place on September 12–13.
The opening programme features a closed-door session of BRICS member countries on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.”
The gathering has drawn a broad representation of the international community, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Brazil is represented by Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, while the United Arab Emirates is represented by Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Arabia by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
The summit is also bringing together leaders and senior representatives from partner and invited countries, further broadening the platform for dialogue and cooperation across the Global South.
Among the international institutions represented are United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank President Zou Jiayi.
Discussions are expected to cover global governance and multilateralism, trade and investment, technology, health, food and energy security, disaster resilience, critical supply chains and sustainable development.
The summit’s broader agenda is designed to strengthen practical cooperation and advance an inclusive approach to global economic and institutional affairs.
For Ethiopia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is participating with a high-level delegation, as the country continues to use its BRICS membership to strengthen South-South cooperation, expand economic partnerships and contribute to discussions on global governance and development priorities.
The summit will continue on September 13 with a broader session involving BRICS partner countries and invited participants under the theme “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.”