BRICS FOREIGN MINISTERS’ MEET

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Context

• In the recently held BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the commitment made by BRICS on sovereign equality, territorial integrity and international law.
• His remarks at the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting came amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on which India maintains that territorial integrity and international law must be respected.

Key points made by MEA S Jaishankar

• We must not only seek socio-economic recovery from the Covid pandemic but also create resilient and reliable supply chains.
• Knock-on effects of the Ukraine conflict have led to sharp increases in the costs of energy, food and commodities. This must be mitigated for the sake of the developing world.
  • Global recovery should advance food and energy security and prioritise health, digital and green growth.
• BRICS has repeatedly affirmed respect for sovereign equality, territorial integrity and international law. We must live up to these commitments.
• BRICS should unanimously and specifically support UN Security Council reform.
  • International organisations must see real change, not just new terminology. A rebalanced and multipolar world should lead to reformed multilateralism.
  • The process of reform and greater representation of developing countries in the international organisations and multilateral fora, including the UN and its Security Council, so that they could play an important role in global governance.
• Together, we should press for the credible commitment of resources by developed nations for climate action and climate justice.
• BRICS must display zero tolerance for terrorism, especially cross border terrorism.
• A globalized and digitized world will give due regard to trust and transparency.
• Sustainable Development Goals must be approached comprehensively.
• As a positive, inspiring and constructive force in the international community, the BRICS countries need to firm up belief, brave the storms and waves, and take real action to promote peace and development, uphold fairness and justice, and advocate democracy and freedom, to inject stability and positive energy into international relations in a period of turbulence and transformation.

Points made by other foreign ministers

• The BRICS countries shall continue to work together to contain the spread and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and supported the leading role of the WHO in combating the pandemic.
• The importance of the ongoing discussions in the WTO including on the TRIPS waiver proposal.
• The ministers called for the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
• The ministers exchanged views on furthering intra-BRICS cooperation on the three pillars:
  • political and security
  • economic and finance
  • people-to-people and cultural exchanges
  • In this regard, they recalled the adoption in 2021 of the revised terms of reference for guiding BRICS engagement.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Security Initiative (GSI) to promote common security for all countries.
  • GSI was proposed in April 2022 at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan province.
  • He also put light on the need to strengthen political mutual trust and security cooperation and maintain close communication and coordination on major international and regional issues.

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