Addis Ababa, November 3, 2024 (FBC/TV BRICS) – In an exclusive interview with TV BRIC, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, noted that the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan demonstrated the rapidly growing authority of BRICS and the desire of more countries to join its work.
“A number of countries have officially requested to join as full members. Others have expressed interest in becoming partner countries. This is a new category that the Kazan Summit agreed upon. We have increased the number of member states from five to ten in 2023. At this stage, we decided to limit ourselves to the creation of the category of the partner countries, to form this group so that the “new” full-fledged and “old” BRICS members could work together in the new composition,” Lavrov explained.
The Russian Chairmanship has done a lot in this regard. The work was cohesive. Mutual understanding was reached on almost all major issues. There are always nuances. We managed to agree on the declaration adopted on the basis of a balance of interests. No one tried to put pressure on anyone. We were looking for mutually acceptable formulations. They were found on all issues.
The main “pathos” of this declaration is the need to significantly increase the share of the Global South and Global East in the mechanisms of global governance, including the UN Security Council, IMF, World Bank, and WTO.
In addition to the backbone of the monetary and financial sphere, which serves the real economy, there was also support for purely sectoral initiatives, including our initiative to start preparations for the creation of a BRICS grain exchange, investment, and geological platforms.
The second issue in our inter-parliamentary programme was holding the first ever meeting of the heads of the international affairs committees of national parliaments in the history of BRICS. That was the BRICS Plus meeting. It will already become a permanent element of the work of our association for the years to come.
You have already mentioned the expansion of BRICS. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have joined the group. What positive changes have taken place in the association due to their accession?
“Accession of new countries to BRICS has enhanced group’s authority. The “new” BRICS already produces 35 per cent of the world’s GDP, if you count it in purchasing power parity. Russian President Vladimir V. Putin referred to this figure, stressing that it exceeds the share of the G7 countries in the world gross product by several per cent. 42 per cent of the world’s population is a serious figure, more than 30 per cent of the landmass, and on average, a quarter of goods exports. It will only grow as industrial production grows rapidly in the BRICS member countries and in the states that seek to unite.”
Ethiopia is the headquarters of the African Union. This partner serves in two capacities: nationally and as a representative of the entire African Union.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is a potentially economically strong state. It has the third largest oil reserves in the world. The United Arab Emirates is one of the leading logistics, trade, and re-export centres of the modern world economy. Egypt is the largest economy in North Africa and an influential country in the Arab League. Saudi Arabia is the leader of the Muslim world. It is the country where the two sanctuaries of Islam are kept,” he explained.
Each of these members has its own well-deserved reputation, is respected in the world, and strengthens the credibility of BRICS itself.