President of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil Mauro Luiz Iecker Vieira attended a restricted-format meeting. Before the meeting, the heads of delegations of the BRICS countries posed for an official photograph. Pix credit: Bricks 2024 Russia
By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah
Kazan, Russia – The 16th BRICS Summit, held from October 22 to 24, 2024, in Kazan, brought together leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and newly joined members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
This summit, under Russia’s chairmanship, focused on strengthening multilateralism and addressing global challenges through enhanced cooperation.
The summit saw the participation of several prominent leaders: Russia: President Vladimir Putin (Host), India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China: President Xi Jinping, South Africa: President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egypt: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Ethiopia: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Iran: President Masoud Pezeshkian, United Arab Emirates: President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Brazil: President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (participated via videoconference due to health issues).
The agenda of the summit included an exchange of views on current global and regional issues, with discussions centered around three key dimensions of cooperation promoted by the Russian chairmanship namely, Politics and Security: Addressing geopolitical tensions and promoting peace, Economy and Finance: Enhancing economic collaboration and financial stability and Cultural and Humanitarian Exchanges: Strengthening cultural ties and humanitarian efforts.
A significant focus was placed on the potential expansion of BRICS through the establishment of a new partner category, reflecting the bloc’s growing influence and inclusivity.
On the second day of the summit, the leaders adopted the Kazan Declaration, a comprehensive document outlining the collective stance and future direction of BRICS. Key highlights of the Kazan Declaration include:
- Geopolitical Concerns: The declaration emphasized the need for peaceful resolution of conflicts, particularly highlighting the situations in Ukraine and Palestine. It called for adherence to international law and mediation efforts to resolve disputes.
- Economic Cooperation: The leaders underscored the importance of reforming the international financial system to make it more inclusive and just. They welcomed initiatives like the BRICS Grain Exchange and the BRICS Cross-Border Payment System to enhance economic collaboration.
- Cultural and Humanitarian Efforts: The declaration reaffirmed the commitment to cultural exchanges and humanitarian cooperation, aiming to foster mutual understanding and solidarity among member nations.
The Kazan Declaration represents a unified vision for BRICS, focusing on promoting peace, sustainable development, and a fairer international order.
Conclusion
The 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan marked a significant step towards strengthening multilateralism and enhancing cooperation among member nations.
With the adoption of the Kazan Declaration, BRICS has set a clear agenda for addressing global challenges and fostering a more inclusive and equitable world order.
TNS News