A two-day meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers, chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, begins in Nizhny Novgorod. In addition to the member states, representatives from BRICS-friendly countries will also participate. This is the first meeting of the Foreign Ministers since BRICS expanded in 2023, now including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia. Around 30 other countries are interested in cooperating with BRICS in various formats.
"During the upcoming meetings, we plan to discuss current issues in international relations, the global agenda, the improvement of the global governance system with an emphasis on enhancing the role of developing countries, conflict resolution, and cooperation on major multilateral platforms," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. The meeting will also feature a separate session with several countries from the Global South and East.
Meeting of the Global Majority
As repeatedly emphasized by the Russian side, the combined GDP of BRICS countries, based on purchasing power parity, now accounts for about one-third of global values, surpassing the figures of the G7. BRICS countries cover 30% of the world's land area, 45% of the global population, significant volumes of global oil and other resource extraction, and about a quarter of global exports.
"With such a rich potential, we cannot afford to be mere observers or follow the wake of historical processes, especially given the hopes that the countries of the Global South and East place on BRICS. The association is fully capable of shaping the global agenda, consistently defending the interests of the global majority, and offering its vision for the future world order based on objective events rather than artificially created schemes designed to hinder human development," Lavrov noted.
Preparing for the Summit
The central event of Russia's BRICS chairmanship in 2024, which includes over 250 various events, will be the XVI BRICS summit in Kazan in October. Modalities for the category of BRICS partner states are expected to be developed by the time of the leaders' meeting, making the development of the association a key topic in Nizhny Novgorod.
Special attention will also be given to creating financial mechanisms independent of the West. Lavrov noted that work is already underway through central banks and finance ministries. The Russian diplomat indicated that this process would continue with active participation from foreign ministries, given the enormous foreign policy and geopolitical significance of this topic.
In addition, BRICS ministers are expected to discuss international issues, global security, and the development of collective solutions in light of existing global challenges and threats, as well as foreign policy coordination among the member states. Discussions around Ukraine are also likely, especially since several BRICS countries have proposed settlement initiatives highly appreciated by Moscow. Discussions within BRICS traditionally have a unique character: the Russian side has repeatedly emphasized that the association is not bound by "bloc discipline" or the imposition of any particular viewpoint.
Marathon of Bilateral Meetings
For Sergey Lavrov, BRICS Foreign Ministers' meetings are never limited to participating in sessions and interacting with the press. The Russian minister also manages to hold numerous negotiations with his counterparts from other countries. In Nizhny Novgorod, Zakharova announced a "marathon of bilateral meetings" for the Russian Foreign Minister.
Besides the member states, several Latin American countries have been invited to the meeting. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will also attend. On June 4, he expressed his country's desire to join BRICS and announced plans to discuss this topic during his visit to Russia. This application is particularly interesting given Turkey's NATO membership. Additionally, Thailand's foreign ministry announced that its Foreign Minister Marit Sangiamphong would participate in the BRICS meeting in Nizhny Novgorod.
The Spirit of BRICS at SPIEF
Andrey Koshkin, head of the Political Science Department at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, commented to TASS on the category of BRICS partner states, noting BRICS' flexibility compared to the G7 in the context of the emerging new world order. "[The BRICS format] is more tolerant, more flexible, and adapts to the new format of world order and multipolarity. The G7 is not going to adapt and does not accept new multipolar relations," he noted.
According to Koshkin, "the spirit of BRICS was present at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum" (SPIEF), which took place from June 5 to 8, when global economic development was discussed. "Many openly note that BRICS is distinguished by the absence of the United States. This allows the global majority to actively use this platform to enter the economic stage, where successful development is possible. I expect very dynamic steps from BRICS, which is why many countries around the world want to join the association or become active observers," the expert added.
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Photo: brics-russia2020.ru/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS