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International Organisations and Summits 2025

The G20, BRICS and SCO summits, the UN at 80, the WHO Pandemic Agreement, COP30 and other key meetings of 2025: hosts, dates and outcomes.

Lessons in this module

G20, BRICS and SCO Summits

Lesson • 5 quiz questions

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The UN at 80 and Global Health

Lesson • 5 quiz questions

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COP30, G7, NATO and ASEAN

Lesson • 5 quiz questions

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Lesson notes

1. G20, BRICS and SCO Summits

Three summits with India as a member made headlines in 2025: the G20 in South Africa, BRICS in Brazil and the SCO in China. Exams usually ask the host city, the theme, and one or two outcomes.

G20 Summit, Johannesburg

South Africa held the G20 presidency in 2025 with the theme 'Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability'.
The G20 Leaders' Summit was held in Johannesburg on 22–23 November 2025. It was the first G20 summit held in Africa.
The United States did not take part in the summit.
The leaders' declaration was adopted at the start of the summit, with a strong focus on development issues and Africa.
The United States holds the G20 presidency in 2026.

17th BRICS Summit, Rio de Janeiro

Brazil hosted the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 6–7 July 2025.
Theme: 'Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance'.
Indonesia had joined BRICS as a full member in January 2025.
Leaders adopted the Rio de Janeiro Declaration and a separate statement on the global governance of artificial intelligence.
India holds the BRICS chairship in 2026 and will host the 18th summit.

SCO Summit, Tianjin

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council met in Tianjin, China, on 31 August–1 September 2025. It was the 25th such meeting.
Members adopted the Tianjin Declaration. It strongly condemned the terrorist attack at Pahalgam in April 2025.
Members also approved an SCO development strategy for the next ten years.
Kyrgyzstan took over the SCO chairship after the summit; the next summit is in Bishkek in 2026.

Quick facts

G20 2025: Johannesburg, 22–23 Nov 2025; first G20 summit in Africa
G20 theme 2025: Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability
BRICS 2025: 17th summit, Rio de Janeiro, 6–7 July 2025
BRICS new member: Indonesia (full member from Jan 2025)
BRICS chair 2026: India
SCO 2025: Tianjin, China; Tianjin Declaration condemned Pahalgam attack

💡 Remember the pattern: G20 went to Africa (Johannesburg), BRICS went to South America (Rio), SCO went to China (Tianjin).

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

2. The UN at 80 and Global Health

The United Nations turned 80 in 2025, and the World Health Organization's member states adopted a major new agreement on pandemics. This lesson also covers new treaties in trade and the high seas.

United Nations at 80

The UN Charter was signed in San Francisco on 26 June 1945 and came into force on 24 October 1945 (UN Day). So 2025 marked the UN's 80th anniversary.
Annalena Baerbock, a former Foreign Minister of Germany, was elected President of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in June 2025.
Secretary-General António Guterres launched the 'UN80 Initiative' in 2025 to make the UN system more efficient.
The UN named 2025 the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, of Quantum Science and Technology, of Cooperatives, and of Peace and Trust.

WHO Pandemic Agreement

On 20 May 2025 the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva adopted the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
Its aim is to make the world better prepared for future pandemics and to share vaccines, medicines and tests more fairly.
One part, the annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS), was left for further negotiation. The agreement opens for signature only after that annex is adopted.
On 20 January 2025 the United States announced its withdrawal from the WHO and from the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Trade and ocean treaties

The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies came into force on 15 September 2025, after enough members accepted it. It bans subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The agreement had been adopted at the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference in Geneva in June 2022, but needed acceptance by two-thirds of members to come into force.
Its aim is to protect fish stocks in the world's oceans by stopping harmful government support to fishing fleets.

Quick facts

UN 80th anniversary: 24 October 2025 (Charter signed 26 June 1945)
PGA 80th session: Annalena Baerbock (Germany)
WHO Pandemic Agreement: Adopted 20 May 2025 at 78th World Health Assembly
PABS: Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing annex, still under negotiation
WTO fisheries deal: In force 15 Sept 2025
UN years 2025: Glaciers' Preservation; Quantum Science; Cooperatives; Peace and Trust

💡 Two '20s' to remember: 20 January (US announces WHO exit) and 20 May (WHO Pandemic Agreement adopted).

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

3. COP30, G7, NATO and ASEAN

Climate talks in the Amazon, a G7 summit in the Canadian Rockies, a NATO summit in the Netherlands, and a new ASEAN member: these are the other key meetings of 2025.

COP30, Belém, Brazil

The 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) was held in Belém, in Brazil's Amazon region, in November 2025. It ended on 22 November 2025.
The COP30 President was Brazilian diplomat André Corrêa do Lago.
The main outcome was called the 'Global Mutirão' decision. ('Mutirão' is a Brazilian word for people working together on a shared task.)
Countries called for efforts to at least triple adaptation finance by 2035, and agreed to develop a just transition mechanism.
Brazil launched the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), a fund to reward countries for keeping tropical forests standing.
COP31 will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, in November 2026. Türkiye will hold the COP31 presidency, while Australia will lead the negotiations.

G7 and NATO

Canada hosted the G7 Summit at Kananaskis, Alberta, on 15–17 June 2025. PM Modi attended as an invited guest.
NATO leaders met in The Hague, Netherlands, on 24–25 June 2025.
At The Hague, NATO members agreed to a new goal of spending 5% of GDP on defence and security by 2035 (3.5% on core defence plus 1.5% on related areas).

ASEAN gets an 11th member

Timor-Leste became the 11th member of ASEAN on 26 October 2025, at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
It was ASEAN's first expansion in about 25 years. Malaysia chaired ASEAN in 2025.
At the same summit, Thailand and Cambodia signed the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord.

Quick facts

COP30: Belém, Brazil, Nov 2025; President André Corrêa do Lago
COP30 outcome: Global Mutirão decision
COP31: Antalya, Türkiye (Nov 2026); Australia leads negotiations
G7 2025: Kananaskis, Canada, 15–17 June
NATO 2025: The Hague; 5% of GDP by 2035
ASEAN 11th member: Timor-Leste, 26 Oct 2025

💡 COP numbers and hosts are a favourite: COP28 Dubai, COP29 Baku, COP30 Belém, COP31 Antalya.

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

Other modules in Current Affairs 2025: India & World

Polity & Governance 2025FREE PREVIEW → Economy, Budget & Banking 2025FREE PREVIEW → Government Schemes & Social Sector 2025FREE PREVIEW → Science, Space, Technology & Defence 2025FREE PREVIEW → Environment, Geography & Disasters 2025FREE PREVIEW → Sports, Awards, Persons in News & Important Days 2025FREE PREVIEW → World Politics and Leaders 2025FREE PREVIEW → India's Foreign Relations 2025FREE PREVIEW → Global Economy, Science and Technology 2025FREE PREVIEW → World Sports, Awards and Important Days 2025FREE PREVIEW → Final AssessmentFREE PREVIEW →

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