Russia took over the year-long chairmanship of BRICS on January 1, 2024.

Moscow:

India on Monday wholeheartedly welcomed Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia becoming a member of the BRICS as their representatives attended for the primary time a key assembly of the grouping hosted by Russia.

Senior diplomat Dammu Ravi led the Indian delegation on the BRICS Overseas Ministers’ Assembly in Nizhny Novgorod, in western Russia.

“A major assembly within the format of expanded BRICS household. India wholeheartedly welcomes the brand new membership,” the spokesperson of the Ministry of Exterior Affairs Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

The assembly on Monday was the primary ministerial assembly following BRICS growth in 2023 when Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE joined Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa as full-fledged BRICS members.

Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Financial Relations) in MEA, led the Indian delegation on the BRICS Overseas Ministers’ Assembly in Nizhny Novgorod, it stated.

Often, the Exterior Affairs Minister attends such conferences. Since S Jaishankar was reappointed as Exterior Affairs Minister solely on Monday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, he couldn’t make it to Russia to attend the assembly.

A joint assertion issued after the assembly stated the BRICS overseas ministers reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening the framework of BRICS Strategic Partnership underneath the three pillars of cooperation – politics and safety, economic system and finance, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The ministers reiterated their dedication to multilateralism and upholding the worldwide regulation, together with the Functions and Ideas enshrined within the Constitution of the United Nations (UN) as its indispensable cornerstone, and the central position of the UN in a world system by which sovereign states cooperate to take care of worldwide peace and safety, advance sustainable growth, make sure the promotion and safety of democracy, human rights and basic freedoms for all.

They voiced their assist for a complete reform of the United Nations, together with its Safety Council, with a view to creating it extra democratic, consultant, efficient and environment friendly.

The ministers reaffirmed the vital position of the G20 because the premier discussion board for worldwide financial cooperation and welcomed and supported the inclusion of the African Union as a member of the G20 on the G20 New Delhi Summit.

The ministers reiterated that the consecutive G20 presidencies of India, Brazil and South Africa in 2023-2025 lay a strong floor for addressing inequalities, imbalances and shortcomings on the planet economic system, expressed assist for continuity and collaboration of their G20 presidencies and wished all of them success of their endeavours.

Voicing their concern about ongoing conflicts in lots of components of the world, the ministers reiterated their dedication to the peaceable decision of disputes by means of diplomacy, inclusive dialogue and consultations in a coordinated and cooperative method and supported all efforts conducive to the peaceable settlement of crises.

The ministers recalled their nationwide positions in regards to the scenario in and round Ukraine as expressed within the acceptable fora, together with the UN Safety Council and famous with appreciation related proposals of mediation and good places of work geared toward peaceable decision of the battle by means of dialogue and diplomacy, the assertion stated.

The BRICS ministers “expressed grave concern on the deterioration of the scenario within the Occupied Palestinian Territory, specifically the unprecedented escalation of violence within the Gaza Strip because of the Israeli navy operation that led to mass civilian displacement, dying and casualties, and destruction of civilian infrastructure,” it stated.

The ministers referred to as for the efficient implementation of the UNSC decision 2728 for a right away, sturdy, and sustained ceasefire. They equally referred to as for the rapid and unconditional launch of all hostages and civilians who’re being illegally held captive. They expressed grave concern by the rising assaults by Israel on Rafah, the assertion stated.

They reaffirmed their rejection of any try aiming at forcefully displacing, expelling or transferring the Palestinian folks from their land.

They reaffirmed their assist for Palestine’s full membership within the United Nations and reiterated their unwavering dedication to the imaginative and prescient of the two-state answer primarily based on worldwide regulation together with related UNSC and UNGA resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative that features the institution of a sovereign, unbiased and viable State of Palestine consistent with internationally acknowledged borders of June 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital dwelling aspect by aspect in peace and safety with Israel.

The ministers emphasised the necessity for an pressing peaceable settlement in Afghanistan with a view to strengthen regional safety and stability.

They expressed sturdy condemnation of any acts of terrorism as “felony and unjustifiable, no matter their motivation, each time, wherever and by whomsoever dedicated” and reaffirmed their dedication to combating terrorism in all its kinds and manifestations, together with the cross-border terrorism and terrorism financing and secure havens.

“They reiterated that terrorism shouldn’t be related to any faith, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group and that every one these concerned in terrorist actions and their assist should be held accountable and delivered to justice in accordance with worldwide regulation,” the assertion stated, including that the Ministers urged to make sure “zero tolerance for terrorism” and rejected double requirements in countering terrorism.

The ministers expressed the necessity to comprehensively strengthen mechanisms for countering the elevated use, in a globalised society, by terrorists and their supporters of rising and evolving applied sciences such because the Web and different info and communications applied sciences, together with social media platforms, for terrorist functions.

Additionally they referred to as on all events to totally implement the United Nations Framework Conference on Local weather Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Settlement, the assertion stated.

They opposed unilateral protectionist measures, which intentionally disrupt the worldwide provide and manufacturing chains and deform competitors, the assertion stated.

The ministers expressed their assist for an “open, clear, truthful, inclusive, equitable, non-discriminatory and rules-based multilateral buying and selling system” with the World Commerce Organisation at its core, with particular and differential therapy (S&DT) for growing nations, together with Least Developed International locations as the important thing foundational precept of the WTO.

The ministers additionally underscored the significance of the improved use of native currencies in commerce and monetary transactions between the BRICS nations.

Russia took over the year-long chairmanship of BRICS on January 1, 2024.

Russia’s presidency options greater than 250 varied occasions, with a BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024 being the central one, Russia’s official TASS information company reported. 

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