Unlocking Global Potential: Exploring the Boundless Partnership Opportunities within BRICS+

The BRICS+ summit in Kazan strengthened relations between nations, providing opportunities for socio-economic policies, highlighting the importance of multi-polarity and ensuring a voice for Africa in global decisions.

Kazan (Russia), October 22 to 24, 2024: Russia hosted the BRICS+ 2024 summit in Kazan, Tatarstan. The summit marked the first meeting of state leaders and representatives since the expansion of BRICS last year, bringing together around 20,000 representatives from 36 countries.

36 presidents participated in BRICS+ in Kazan.

Here is the full list of countries represented: India, China, Russia, Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Congo, Cuba , Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, and Palestine.

At the summit, 13 new countries were accepted as official BRICS partners, which will allow them to participate in the initiatives of the alliance. The full members are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia. The partner countries are Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Highlights:

Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, said that “the global financial system is obsolete, inefficient and unfair”. He also pointed out that global economic powers have abused their position [1]claiming that BRICS is here to rectify this situation.

The leaders expressed their determination to support the rapid development of South Asian and African nations, with BRICS as a key partner. In addition, BRICS will establish a shortlist of potential new members among the 30 countries interested in joining the alliance.

Vladimir Poutine [2] make it clear that Russia is open to restoring its relations with the West. He also mentioned that he has never had any contacts with Donald Trump and that Russia supports his statements in favor of peace.

At the economic level, more than 159 countries, or more than three quarters of the world, are gradually adapting to BRICS Pay, a decentralized payment system created to facilitate international transactions using local currency.

Since 1959, Burundi has been under neo-colonial domination by the United States, the Vatican, France and Belgium. With BRICS+, a new multipolar world is emerging as an alternative to Burundi.

The BRICS summit marks the emergence of a South determined to regain its political and economic power.

Kazan Declaration (10 points):

1. The participating countries expressed concern about the negative consequences of illegal sanctions on the global economy.
2. They call for greater participation by the least developed states, especially African ones, in global decision-making.
3. The participants of the summit expressed concern about the increasing violence and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Sudan, demanding an immediate end to the fighting.
4. They confirmed their loyalty to the principles of multi-polarity and the need to preserve the key role of the United Nations in the international relations system.
5. The Parties emphasized the need to continue implementing the economic partnership strategy until 2025 in all areas of activity.
6. They also reaffirmed their support for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including the Security Council, to make it more representative.
7. The participants of the summit welcome the use of national currencies in financial transactions between the participating countries and their trading partners.
8. They opposed the introduction of unilateral measures that can be justified by the fight against climate change.
9. The document condemns attacks on UN personnel and threats to their security and demands that Israel end such actions immediately.
10. The participating countries confirm their previous decision regarding measures to support the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
11. The participants of the summit call for the reform of the Bretton Woods institutions in order to increase the representation of developing countries.
12. They oppose placing weapons in space.

NOTES:

[1] President Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela) spoke at the BRICS summit, saying: “Where is the International Court of Justice? Was it created only to persecute the countries of the South? Every time a precision missile hits a building in Gaza, killing men, women and children, and every time a missile hits Beirut or southern Lebanon, these attacks endanger the United Nations system. Again, where is the International Court of Justice? Is it only to persecute the countries of the South? »

For his part, the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, said: “Russia is a good neighbor and a great power. We must continue our cooperation within the BRICS framework. »

[2] « The economic powers of the world have abused their position, and BRICS is here to rectify this situation. The nations of South Asia and Africa are preparing for rapid development in the coming years, and BRICS is positioning itself as a partner ready to support them. In addition, BRICS intends to create a shortlist of potential new members, based on the interest of 30 countries that wish to join the alliance. Russia has never rejected relations with the West and remains open to restoring relations. There have never been any contacts between Donald Trump and me, but Russia welcomes his statements in favor of peace. If the United States wants to establish good relations with Russia after the elections, we will also be ready to respond favorably. Finally, in order to reduce the level of conflict in the Middle East, it is essential to work together with all the parties involved. » – Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation.

Sources: Nahimana P., Friday October 25, 2024 | Photo: Narendra Modi, Sébastien Périmony