Rio de Janeiro pitches to become permanent home of Brics, mayor hopes to boost city's global profile

Rio de Janeiro is making a bold pitch to become the permanent home of the Brics economic bloc, which currently lacks an official headquarters.

Following the Brics 2025 summit at the city’s Museum of Modern Art, Mayor Eduardo Paes sent a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, formally expressing the city’s interest.

Brics, founded in 2009, now includes Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

Representing about 46 per cent of the world’s population and 37 per cent of global GDP, the group aims to foster economic cooperation, global governance, and sustainable development among emerging economies.

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Rio’s proposal seeks to give Brics a stronger institutional foundation, as the bloc currently operates without a fixed headquarters, general secretariat, or dedicated diplomatic team.

Brazilian Jockey Club building proposed as potential HQs

To sweeten the deal, the city has offered the historic Brazilian Jockey Club building in downtown Rio.

Designed by modernist architect Lúcio Costa—famous for planning Brasília—this 12-story, 8,300-square-meter (nearly 90,000-square-foot) building opened in 1972, with landscaping by Roberto Burle Marx. It would need about R$100 million (US$18 million) in renovations, based on a 2019 estimate.

City Hall argues the building’s central location and historical significance make it a fitting home for an international organisation. The plan hinges on negotiations with the Jockey Club Brasileiro, which could see its R$220 million in unpaid municipal taxes forgiven in exchange for the property.

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“Rio fully supports multilateral efforts to consolidate Brics as a decisive forum for the 21st century,” Paes said.

“We are ready to welcome representatives from member countries and provide the appropriate infrastructure and setting for the group to advance its discussions on an ongoing basis.”

If successful, the site would house offices, host meetings, and serve as a hub for Brics representatives to coordinate projects and policies.

City officials believe a Brics headquarters in Rio would boost Brazil’s global influence, elevate the city’s international profile, and stimulate the local economy through foreign investment, tourism, and job creation.