New Global BRICS Driving Emerging Architecture
来源：moderndiplomacy.eu;发表于:2024-02-15;人气指数:170
Thursday,
February 15, 2024
New Global BRICS Driving Emerging
Architecture
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
An association of five emerging
economies popularly referred to as BRICS under Russia’s presidency (2024) has
begun its work with the first meeting of of Sherpas/Sous-Sherpas, held January
30 – February 1, with participation of new countries – Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran,
the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The meeting wholeheartedly noted
substantial contributions in shaping the 2024 agenda and comprehensive plan of
activities scheduled to take place in the Russian Federation. During its
chairmanship of BRICS, Russia will do its best to find solutions to economic,
policy and humanitarian issues, to strengthen common consensus and approaches
with partner countries.
During the meeting, chaired by Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Russia’s Sherpa in BRICS, Sergey A. Ryabkov, the
priorities of the association were outlined. Representatives of Russian
ministries and departments gave detailed briefings on key areas of cooperation.
The importance of implementing a number of Russian initiatives was noted, in
particular, the launch of an Integrated Early Response System to the risks of
mass infectious diseases, the establishment of an Industrial Competence Center
based on UNIDO, the BRICS Medical Association and a specialized journal, and
strengthening cooperation in the field of transport and tourism.
As part of the implementation of the
instructions of the leaders of the BRICS countries following the results of the
XV summit of the association (Johannesburg, August 22-24, 2023), discussions
continued on the modalities of the category of BRICS partner states, as well as
increasing the role of national currencies and payment instruments in
cross-border transactions of the “ten” countries. All participants in the
meeting confirmed their focus on further constructive work within the three
“baskets” of the BRICS strategic partnership: in the field of politics and
security, economics and finance, culture and humanitarian ties.
It was pointed out that it’s about time
to tackle extraordinary challenges and to steer the association towards
creating a more fairer and interactive world. A quick analysis shows that the
present situation is engulfed with new conflicts and unprecedented threats that
endanger further sustainable development. But in a conscientious manner, BRICS
is set to handle the collective tasks and priorities, the fragile situation in
Ukraine, the human catastrophe emerging from the horrific Israeli war against
Palestine and its impact on the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
At the same time, Ukraine appeared in
the discussions. It was pointed out that Russia pays great attention and
respects the initiatives put forward by the BRICS countries regarding a
settlement in Ukraine. This includes the Brazilian initiative, the proposals of
the People’s Republic of China, and the outstanding role of the Republic of
South Africa in discussing and promoting approaches to a potential peace
settlement.
In addition, BRICS is also targeting
result-oriented work and opportunities in the developing countries, especially
those in the Global South. Its invaluable platforms are available to ensure
cohesive and sustainable responses to the challenges, and for fostering
cooperation and for renewed multidimensional partnerships, for instance, with
Africa.
Despite dozens of applications to join,
BRICS added only five new members on January 1, 2024. Unsurprisingly, Argentina
turned down its invitation, citing sovereign right to make such as a final
decision based on domestic problems and limited internal resources. At present,
Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Indonesia,
Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Thailand,
Venezuela and Vietnam are all awaiting an invitation to join BRICS after filing
an official membership application.
Over those three days (Jan. 30 – Feb. 1)
the meeting held ten working sessions, during which representatives of Russian
ministries and departments, business and academic circles presented detailed
briefings on key areas of cooperation in BRICS and the initiatives of the
Russian chairmanship in the association. BRICS partners have assured to lend
their support for the chairmanship plans and their readiness to vigorously work
together this year.
Fruitful and constructive discussions
took place on a number of pressing issues in the fields of trade and
investment, transport and energy, technology and innovation, and sustainable
development. They exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in the fields of
education, healthcare and sports, and confirmed their focus on maintaining and
deepening ties between business and experts.
This year members will work to implement
the BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy until 2025, including by strengthening
supply chains, developing the digital economy, supporting small and
medium-sized businesses, stimulating tourist flows, and interaction in the
field of transport. They are aimed at launching the BRICS Contact Group on
Climate and Sustainable Development, initiated by the Russian side.
It noted the great potential for
cooperation between the BRICS countries in the field of healthcare, and hope
that this year the practical work of the Integrated Early Warning System for
the risks of mass infectious diseases will be launched. The meeting plans to
facilitate the connection of new countries to the BRICS Vaccine Research
Center. There was also the proposal to create a Medical Association and a BRICS
specialized journal. They welcome the start of the functioning of the Working
Group on Nuclear Medicine.
Under Russia’s presidency, BRICS will
also continue focusing on strengthening cooperation along anti-terrorism,
anti-corruption and anti-drug lines, as well as in the field of international
information security, and continue coordinating the approaches of the BRICS
countries to resolving key foreign policy issues, including at such
international platforms as the UN, G20, and WTO.
They also consider it important to
increase humanitarian ties between our peoples, contacts between ordinary
people, and expand opportunities for mutual enrichment of the countries
included in the association.
The BRICS association sees a growing
interest of friendly, like-minded states around the world in developing
cooperation with BRICS. They are impressed by the basic principles on which
interaction is based: compliance with international law, respect for each
other’s interests and the right of each state to a sovereign choice of
development path. Responding to the desire of a wide range of countries to
strengthen ties with BRICS, the association has begun to develop modalities for
the category of partner states of the association. It is envisaged also to
actively use the outreach/BRICS plus dialogue mechanisms to interact with third
countries to make significant contributions to achieving practical results in
all areas of the strategic partnership.
Newcomers at BRICS
BRICS welcomed its newcomers including
Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, based on the
decision by BRICS leaders made in Johannesburg, officially became full-fledged
members from January 2024. Egypt expects Russia’s BRICS chairmanship to address
the challenges in the area of food and energy security, Egyptian Deputy Foreign
Minister and head of the country’s delegation in BRICS, Ragui al-Etrebi said at
the meeting.
“We are perfectly aware of the fact that
gradual integration and new members completely joining the BRICS work is a
serious challenge. However, we are convinced that under the skilled management,
everything will be managed to successfully solve each of those challenges,” the
official said.
He further touched other important
issues such as finances, deepening of cooperation in such areas as investment
and trade, industrial transformation, the use of ICT [information and
communications technologies] for the interest of development, boosting maritime
transport, logistics, as well as solution of problems of the lack of food and
energy security.
Tehran expects the shift to payments in
national currencies within BRICS to increase during Russia’s chairmanship,
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister on economic issues, the republic’s BRICS Sherpa
Mehdi Safari said at the meeting. It was connected with ways to more actively
use national and local currencies and payment tools in cross-border
transactions in order to reduce the negative side effects of the current
dollar-dominated global economic system.
The Iranian side plans to participate
actively in BRICS events this year, the diplomat added. “We are also ready to
work on all necessary solutions and documents for the 16th BRICS summit in
Kazan in October,” he noted. “As far as 2024 is concerned we hope that the
economic and financial direction of cooperation, in particular, the issues of
the banking sector, payment instruments, cancellation of cross-national
currency and the use of national currencies will be solved.”
Lavrov’s Thoughts at BRICS meeting
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a
BRICS sherpa and sous-sherpa meeting on January 31, also outlined the agenda
parameters – related to the objective processes underway and deep
transformation of international architecture. This also connects the present-day
notion of multilateralism and the popular slogan of inclusiveness intended
change the global politics, security and the economy.
“Washington and its European satellites
are spending vast amounts of money to contain Russia, in stark contrast to the
Western capitals’ approach to the Global South, especially the African
countries. There are cases where support for Ukraine is financed by suspending
projects in Africa and the Middle East,” according to Lavrov.
Nevertheless, the Global Majority – the
states of Eurasia, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa, Latin
America and the Caribbean – gain a stronger foothold in the world system. Most
of these countries are increasingly asserting their national interests and
identities and striving for genuine strategic independence in pragmatic
pathways.
In principle, Russia’s BRICS
chairmanship is “Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development
and Security” – and as BRICS is an association with mutual principles for the
Global South and East. Its basic principles are based on mutual respect, a
sovereign choice of development path and the implementation of the fundamental
principle of the UN Charter, that is, the sovereign equality of states.
Lavrov spoke about visible impact of the
turbulent geopolitical situation, the key trends of forming a multi-polar
world, emphasised the growing impact of the cultural and civilisational factor
on world politics, and the importance of facilitating various cooperation
mechanisms that would be resistant to the destructive actions of unfriendly
countries. He also pointed to successful creation of the New Development Bank
(NDB) and the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre.
BRICS Vaccine R&D Center
In March 2022, BRICS made one more huge
step forward, perhaps driven by the Covid-19 pandemic that spread across the
world, to launch finally the BRICS Vaccine R&D Center strongly backed by
China. Under the leadership of Russia, it first proposed cooperation on
countering infectious diseases as a priority for BRICS. The final joint
declaration of the 2015 BRICS summit in Ufa, Russia, contains instructions by
the leaders to work consistently on managing the risk of disease outbreaks.
“We are concerned about growing and
diversifying global threats posed by communicable and non-communicable
diseases. It has a negative impact on economic and social development,
especially in developing and in the least developed countries,” stated the 2015
BRICS declaration.
Among the group, China and India are
ready stepping up to share information, and experiences with BRICS members,
conduct joint research and develop drugs and vaccines based on respecting each
other’s sovereignty and national conditions. Later during the rotating
chairmanship of South Africa, it firmly re-proposed the creation of full-scale
coordinating research and development center and planned to be located in
Johannesburg, South Africa.
Nevertheless, there has not been any
practical achievements in that direction. But as China took the helm of BRICS,
effective from January 2022, experts and research analysts have since showed
deep interests. Finally, March 22 marked the launch the BRICS Vaccine Research
and Development Center, involving the heads of relevant agencies from the five
countries. The initiative to establish the BRICS Vaccine R&D Center, as
said earlier, was incorporated in the final declaration of the BRICS summit in
Johannesburg, South Africa (July 26-27, 2018).
It has brought together leading research
institutions and companies in the member states – the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation
(Brazil), the Anatoly Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza (Russia),
the Indian Council of Medical Research (India), the Sinovac Life Sciences
company (China) and South African Medical Research Council (South Africa).
The main objective is to share best
practices and strengthen practical cooperation in research, development,
production and distribution of vaccines to ensure their greater availability as
BRICS countries account for 40% of the global population and the potential of
research is at the highest level. It makes possible to swiftly respond to
biological threats, coordinate efforts to control infectious diseases and
ensure protection of the population.
China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
Wang Wenbin explained, during his regular media briefing on March 23, that the
BRICS Vaccine R&D Center and workshop on vaccine cooperation would be a
network of internet-based virtual centers, and the establishment of physical
centers would only begin after comprehensive feasibility assessment.
The establishment of the BRICS Vaccine
R&D Center demonstrated the determination of BRICS countries to focus on
vaccine cooperation, deepen public health cooperation and promote public
health, scientific and technological cooperation among BRICS countries. It was
first Russia’s initiative to establish the BRICS Integrated Early Warning
System for preventing mass infectious disease risks, but the Center was created
during the Chinese chairmanship of the BRICS.
BRICS New Development Bank
The New Development Bank (NDB), created
by the BRICS countries, works proactively on financial issues concerning
projects in member countries. The agreement on establishing the BRICS New
Development Bank was reached on July 15, 2014 in Brazil’s Fortaleza. The bank’s
starting capital was set at $100 bln. The Shanghai-headquartered bank has been
set up to finance infrastructure projects and projects for sustainable
development of BRICS and other developing countries.
Over the years, the bank has approved
over 100 projects for a total of more than $33 billion in areas such as
transportation, water supply, clean energy, digital and social infrastructure,
and urban construction. In 2021, the NDB began expanding its membership and
admitted Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay as its new
member countries. It has the second representative office in South Africa.
As an association, it follows the same
trends but on a global scale. BRICS represents a cooperation network for
regional and subregional processes in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. BRICS
association boasts an aggregate GDP, in terms of purchasing power parity, that
has reached about one third of the global value and has exceeded that of the G7
countries. BRICS accounts for 30 percent of dry land and 45 percent of the
world’s population, a substantial part of the global production of oil and
other resources, and about 25 percent of global exports. In a nutshell, the
association now has the ability to form a global agenda by consistently
upholding the interests of the Global Majority.
MD Africa Editor Kester Kenn Klomegah is
an independent researcher and writer on African affairs in the EurAsian region
and former Soviet republics.
Modern Diplomacy
Source: moderndiplomacy.eu