The world is waiting to see whether the expanding group of countries can take advantage of the window of opportunity presented by the restructuring of the international order and become new protagonists in global governance.

At its 17th summit in Rio, the expanded BRICS bloc faces a moment of reckoning as it seeks to balance growing ambitions with internal divisions, shown in its rare unified stance on U.S.-Israel strikes and push for Global South representation. While advancing financial tools and a climate agenda, BRICS’ core challenge is defining itself not as anti-West, but as a united advocate for a more equitable global order.

Imperialist, exploitative and egocentric — these words describe U.S. policy on the Global South. The policy is deeply ingrained in Trump MAGA agenda, but it’s a loser in the long run.

Amid the rise of unilateralism and bullying by the United States, the forum’s international role in fighting protectionism and promoting a multipolar world is becoming increasingly prominent, especially for the Global South.

The U.S.-dominated international system is unraveling as major powers and Global South countries reject American pressure and assert their independence. Without a shift toward cooperation and respect for multipolarity, the U.S. risks becoming the target of a hostile global realignment rather than leading a stable new order.

The world is undergoing profound changes, as reflected in the report from this year’s Munich Security Conference. Focusing on multi-polarization, the report details U.S. arrogance, European hopelessness, Global South helplessness and worldwide disorder.

One question that 2025 may begin to answer is whether the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) is becoming the new center of power in world politics. Now that the group has added new members (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates) and come to represent 45% of the world population, some believe that it is consolidating the (misleadingly named) “Global South” and posing a serious challenge to American and Western power. But I remain skeptical of such claims.

Africa’s growing affinity for China draws both excitement and concern from observers the world over, while African leaders themselves seem drawn to the material benefits China is offering. What has China really done for Africa’s developing nations thus far?

The West’s dominating influence around the world has come under heavy scrutiny as open conflicts rage on in Europe and the Middle East. Does this year’s BRICS Summit, hosted in Russia, represent an inflection point in the global community’s tolerance for U.S.-led order?

Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election is worrisome. People-to-people exchanges between China and the United States faced many challenges during his first term, and the Republican Party Platform is not friendly to outsiders. There could be stormy weather ahead.