The group of countries that form the BRICS block requested on Sunday (6) a greater protagonism of Brazil and India on the United Nations Security Council, the reform of global governance, the defense of multilateralism in foreign relations, criticized the intensity of Israel’s reaction in Hamas terrorist attacks, spared Russia for the invasion of Ukraine and defended Iran.
The requests are included in the Declaration of Leaders of Member Countries and participants sewn in recent days by the representatives and made after the first plenary session of the Summit Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro. In all, there are 126 points listed, many of them cited by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) during the opening of the meeting.
“We reaffirm our support for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including its Security Council, with the aim of making it more democratic, representative, effective and efficient. […] [Os membros] They reiterate their support for Brazil and India to play a more relevant role in the United Nations, including their security council, ”says the letter citing the support of China and Russia as permanent collegiate members.
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Leaders also emphasize in the document that the reform of global governance is essential to ensure an international system “fairer, equitable, agile, effective, efficient, responsive, representative, legitimate, democratic and responsible”. According to the text, the proposal is that global decisions are made based on “broad consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits”, respecting the principles of the United Nations Charter.
“Keeping in mind the need to adapt the current architecture of international relations to better reflect contemporary realities, we reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism and the defense of international law,” they point out.
The “contemporary realities” echo what Lula said earlier by making a harsh criticism of the UN that the entity is “loss of credibility and paralysis”, and is oblivious to the main decisions involving armed conflicts.
For the group, the reform of the Security Council “aims to expand the voice of the global southern”, in addition to the need to ensure greater geographical representativeness in UN structures and increase the participation of women, especially from developing countries, at all levels of leadership of these organizations.
Reform of financial institutions
In addition to the UN, member countries charge changes in Bretton Woods institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, to reflect the current world economic configuration.
“They must reform their governance structure to reflect the transformation of the global economy since its inception,” so that the growing weight of emerging countries is proportionally represented.
The group uses numbers that show the importance of being heard and having greater representativeness in world multilateral institutions, such as accounting for 40% of global GDP in purchase parity by its 11 members.
The document points out that BRICS is positioned against unilateral actions, coercive measures and protectionism disguised as environmental concerns, practices that, according to the group, aggravate inequalities and compromise sustainable development.
“We reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism and the defense of international law […] In which sovereign states cooperate to maintain international peace and security, promote sustainable development, ensure the promotion and protection of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, ”points out the letter.
Selective Criticism of Conflicts
The leaders’ letter still expresses “concern for ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world” and the increase in global military spending “to the detriment of appropriate funding for the development of developing countries (SIC)”.
“We remember our national positions regarding conflict in Ukraine, expressed in the appropriate forums. […] We register with appreciation of relevant mediation proposals and good offices, including the creation of the African Peace and the Group of Friends for Peace, focused on the peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, ”says the letter in a short stretch without quoting Russia as an invading country.
Regarding the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, the treatment is another and the BRICS letter expressly cites the Jewish country for “continuous attacks.”
“We reiterate our profound concern about the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, given the resumption of continuous attacks of Israel against Gaza and the obstruction of the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory,” points out leaders defending the creation of the Palestinian State that unifies the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The group also reiterates support for an “immediate, permanent and unconditional ceasefire” and the “complete withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and all other parts of the occupied Palestinian territory”. The declaration also reinforces BRICS’s support for the full adhesion of the United Nations State, in the context of a commitment to the “two -state solution”, and highlights the precautionary measures of the International Court that reaffirm “Israel’s legal obligation to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid in Gaza”.
In another excerpt from the letter, Brics leaders defend Iran from military attacks in recent weeks in the United States as a “violation of international law and the UN letter,” and a “subsequent escalation of the Middle East security situation.” The US country, however, is not expressly cited either.
“We also express serious concern with the deliberate attacks against civil infrastructures and peaceful nuclear facilities under total safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (AIEA), in violation of international law and the relevant resolutions of the AIEA,” adds the letter that also calls for Iran in the World Trade Organization (WTO).
