Foreign ministers of the BRICS member states have reiterated their commitment to enhancing cooperation in three key areas: politics and security, economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian exchanges.
According to a statement published on the official website of Brazil’s BRICS Presidency, this reaffirmation came during the two-day BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro, which included all BRICS member states.
The statement noted that the meeting was held in an expanded format, with representatives from BRICS partner countries also in attendance.
The ministers underscored BRICS’ important role as the voice of the Global South and expressed their support for reforming the United Nations—particularly advocating for greater representation of developing countries in the UN Security Council.
The ministers expressed support for increasing the use of national currencies in mutual transactions and emphasized the need to develop independent payment platforms.
They recognized the New Development Bank (NDB) as a vital financial tool for emerging economies, endorsed its continued expansion, and welcomed the re-election of Dilma Rousseff as President of the NDB.
The leaders also highlighted the significance of Artificial Intelligence in fostering inclusive development and affirmed their commitment to supporting developing countries in harnessing its potential.
In addition, they welcomed ongoing efforts toward establishing a framework for governing the data economy.
The ministers strongly condemned all forms of terrorism, specifically denouncing the April 22 attack in India that claimed the lives of at least 26 people.
The ministers affirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation among BRICS countries in the fight against terrorism.
They welcomed the efforts of the BRICS specialized working group on counterterrorism and called for the swift finalization and adoption of the United Nations Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
Emphasizing the peaceful use of outer space, the ministers also advocated for a secure and reliable information and communication technology (ICT) environment, free access to trustworthy information, and the promotion of digital literacy. They underscored the need for agreed rules to govern cyberspace and reiterated their opposition to cybercrime.
The ministers reaffirmed the necessity of reforming the global financial architecture and acknowledged the continued relevance of the G20. In light of the bloc’s recent expansion, they highlighted the need to strengthen BRICS institutions, including the establishment of a shared database to improve access to key documents and background information.
The foreign ministers expressed their full support for Brazil’s chairmanship of BRICS.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during a press briefing on the outcomes of the meeting, stated that the bloc would continue engaging with partner countries through various collaborative formats.
The ministers also stressed the growing importance of the “world majority” in addressing global challenges and solving key international issues.
