The United Arab Emirates, represented by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of the UAE, participated in BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under the 2025 presidency of Brazil.
The UAE delegation was led by Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, and included Ebrahim Obaid Al Zaabi, Assistant Governor for Monetary Policy and Financial Stability at the Central Bank of the UAE; Ali Abdullah Sharafi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for International Financial Relations at the Ministry of Finance; Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi, Director of International Financial Relations and Organisations at the Ministry of Finance; and Hamad Issa Al Zaabi, Director of the Office of the Minister of State for Financial Affairs.
The meeting agenda featured three main sessions: one focused on finance ministries, another on central banks, and a joint session that explored the global economic outlook and the role of BRICS in enhancing international economic governance. Additional topics included climate finance and coordination of economic policies.
Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini stressed during his intervention that the UAE’s participation in BRICS stems from its commitment to strengthening international dialogue on the future of the global financial system and developing multilateral cooperation frameworks to address urgent development challenges. “We are committed to strengthening dialogue on the future of the global financial system and developing multilateral cooperation frameworks to address development challenges.”
Al Hussaini added: “We believe that constructive partnerships among emerging and developing economies, through platforms such as BRICS, offer an important opportunity to enhance global economic governance, expand access to innovative financing, and support long-term financial stability. We also stress the importance of reinforcing financial and monetary coordination among member states to ensure more inclusive and sustainable growth.”
He emphasised that the UAE’s contribution to drafting the joint communiqué reflects its active commitment to collaborative efforts within BRICS, aimed at promoting shared interests and aligning with member countries’ aspirations for a more balanced and cooperative global economy.
The UAE officially joined BRICS in January 2024, following the ratification of its membership request by the group’s five founding countries: the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China, and the Republic of South Africa.
As a BRICS member, the UAE aims to deepen economic cooperation and partnerships with fellow member states, reinforcing its role as a global economic hub and multilateral partner. The UAE also joined the BRICS New Development Bank in October 2021. Established in 2015, the Bank mobilises resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS nations, as well as in other emerging and developing economies.
WAM