https://mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1873673/

Madam Chair, colleagues,

It’s good to be back on the hospitable soil of the Republic of South Africa. I would like to thank Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor and all our friends from the Republic of South Africa for the excellent organisation of today’s meeting. We appreciate and support South Africa’s efficient and energetic efforts at the helm of our association.

The world is rapidly changing right before our eyes. The countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America are strengthening their economic positions and showing their commitment and readiness to uphold their sovereign national interests and to play an equal role in global processes. A more just polycentric international order is taking shape at an increasingly fast pace. The unipolar system that used to create privileges for a small group of countries by way of imposing on all others unspecified rules and standards that stem from their selfish interests and ignore the fundamental principles of international law is on track to become a thing of the past.

The hegemonism and one-sidedness that continue to impact the Global South and the Global East are still rife. The West is using sanctions and financial blackmail to coerce sovereign nations into choosing specific economic models and trading partners thus limiting their potential.

The attempts to put an ideological slant on international discussions and multilateral institutions continue unabated. As a result, matters that have a special sense of urgency for the international community, such as overcoming the global economic crisis, ensuring sustainable economic growth, coordinating the reform of the international monetary, financial and trade systems with consideration for the interests of the global majority, are not being addressed.

These neo-colonial approaches and practices that are steeped in the desire to live at the expense of others have the most negative impact on communication between countries and are untenable in today’s world.

I am convinced that, given the circumstances, the role of BRICS in helping resolve global problems should increase, especially so since our association remains an example of genuine multilateralism, which is inclusive, universal and non-discriminatory. The group of five nations continues to form its cooperation based on mutual respect, the principles of openness, pragmatism and solidarity, as well as consensus and continuity.

With the West doing what it’s doing, our countries and all the countries from the Global Majority must spare no effort as they continue to look for universal common answers to the challenges of our time. These challenges include attempts to undermine the foundations of collective, equal and indivisible security, regional conflicts, international terrorism, and transnational crime, including the criminal use of the latest technology. In this regard, we welcome the idea of holding a separate session in the Friends of BRICS format as part of the Foreign Ministers Meeting, where we will invite our partners from like-minded countries.

I believe that while we are in Cape Town we should compare notes on these issues and the intra-BRICS agenda, primarily with regard to expanding our association. We hope that the statement agreed upon by the Sherpas which will be adopted following our meeting will serve as a weighty contribution to drafting a declaration by the BRICS leaders in Johannesburg in August.