National Sovereignty Series (SN) · No. 01 · May 2025

Author: Osmar Bernardes Júnior, political analyst with a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Brasília (UnB), currently pursuing a master's degree in International Relations at the Brazilian Institute of Teaching, Development and Research (IDP).

The first issue of the National Sovereignty series examines how BRICS evolved. It began as an economic acronym coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in 2001 and has become a bloc with its own geopolitical agenda. The report traces the group's institutionalization, from the 2006 foreign ministers' meeting to the creation of the New Development Bank and the expansion into BRICS+.

The report compares the economic, military and nuclear weight of the members and shows China's dominance within the bloc. It also offers a detailed reading of the Final Declaration of the XVI Summit, held in Kazan in 2024. Finally, it discusses the US reaction to the de-dollarization agenda and the risks and opportunities for Brazil amid the rivalry between Washington and Beijing.