The 14th BRICS Summit was held virtually on Jun 23-24 under the theme “Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development”.
Chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinpin, the summit was attended by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The leaders noted that in the past 16 years BRICS countries have strengthened mutual trust, deepened intra-BRICS mutually beneficial cooperation, and closer people-to-people exchanges, which has led to a series of significant outcomes.
They noted that despite the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges, BRICS countries in 2022 have jointly continued enhancing solidarity and deepening cooperation on, inter alia, economy, peace and security, people-to-people exchanges, public health, and sustainable development, and contributed to tangible outcomes of BRICS cooperation.
They welcomed the High-level Dialogue on Global Development at this Summit as a testimony to the open and inclusive nature of BRICS Partnership including BRICS Plus cooperation and looked forward to the Dialogue injecting new impetus to strengthen international cooperation and solidarity on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
BRICS leaders reiterated their commitment to multilateralism through upholding international law, including the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations as its indispensable cornerstone, and to the central role of the United Nations in an international system in which sovereign states cooperate to maintain peace and security, advance sustainable development, ensure the promotion and protection of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, and promoting cooperation based on the spirit of mutual respect, justice and equality.
They agreed that the task of strengthening and reforming multilateral system encompasses making instruments of global governance more inclusive, representative and participatory to facilitate greater and more meaningful participation of developing and least developed countries in global decision-making processes and structures and make it better attuned to contemporary realities; using innovative and inclusive solutions, including digital and technological tools to promote sustainable development and facilitate affordable and equitable access to global public goods for all; strengthening capacities of individual States and international organizations to better respond to new and emerging, traditional and non-traditional challenges, including those emanating from terrorism, money laundering, cyber-realm, infodemics and fake news.
They reaffirmed the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more representative, effective and efficient, and to increase the representation of the developing countries so that it can adequately respond to global challenges.
BRICS leaders urged major developed countries to adopt responsible economic policies, while managing policy spillovers, to avoid severe impacts on developing countries.
They welcomed the decisions on admission of four new members to the NDB and look forward to further membership expansion in a gradual and balanced manner in terms of geographic representation and comprising of both developed and developing countries to enhance the NDB’s international influence as well as the representation and voice of EMDCs in global governance.
Addressing the meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged BRICS leaders to uphold solidarity and safeguard world peace and tranquility, uphold cooperation to boost development and jointly tackle risks and challenges, uphold the pioneering spirit and innovation and unleash the potential and vitality of cooperation, improve global science and technology governance and allow more people to access and benefit from the fruits of scientific and technological advances.
As for the situation in Ukraine, BRICS leaders expressed their support for talks between Russia and Ukraine, their concerns over the humanitarian situation in and around Ukraine and support for efforts of the UN Secretary-General, UN Agencies and ICRC to provide humanitarian assistance in accordance with the basic principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality.
Source: Lao News Agency