-Edited by Bev Mortimer- President, Vladimir Putin, says BRICS stands for a multiple world order that is equitable, builds on international law and principles of the United Nations Charter, including respect.
Speaking a at BRICS during the second day of the Summit in Sandton in South Africa, Putin said BRICS countries are building up their potential and home to three-billion people. “Over the past decades, BRICS investments to the global economy have doubled and the cumulative export reached 20%t of the overall indicator. We are successfully implementing the strategy for the BRICS economic partnership 2025.”
Putin also reiterated the importance of speedy development of trans-continental routes, such as north and south corridor, which will, in the future ensure the annual transit of up to 30 million tons of cargo.
“We believe that it is high time to establish a BRICS permanent commission on transport that will deal, not only with north [and] south projects, but in broader terms, it will deal with logistics and transport corridors development, both inter regional and global ones. Should the partners agree to this, the Russian side could work on this idea within its chairmanship in 2024, and certainly we welcome strengthened interaction within BRICS,” Putin said.
In terms of global innovations, Putin said Russia is looking forward to a more active cooperation within the BRICS global research advanced infrastructure network, noting that it could be supported and developed by a special trust fund.
Russia is ready to share experiences and best practices, including when it comes to digital transformation and the use of artificial intelligence, Putin continued. He announced that Russia will next year assume BRICS chairmanship, and the country is planning to have 200 political, economic and public events to be hosted by Russian cities, among others.
Putin revealed the next BRICS Summit is scheduled for October 2024 at the city of Kazan in Russia, at a date still to be announced.
President Cyril Ramaphosa in his address at the Open Plenary of the 15th BRICS Summit shared similar sentiments saying peace and stability are preconditions for a better, more equitable world. “We are deeply concerned about conflicts across the world that continue to cause great suffering and hardship.
“As South Africa, our position remains that diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter are necessary for the peaceful and just resolution of conflicts,” President Ramaphosa said.
He also said the new economic, political, social and technological realities call for greater cooperation between nations. “These realities call for a fundamental reform of the institutions of global governance so that they may be more representative and better able to respond to the challenges that confront humanity.”
While firmly committed to advance the interests of the Global South, President Ramaphosa said BRICS stands ready to collaborate with all countries that aspire to create a more inclusive international order.
