Address by Minister Mauro Vieira at the first working session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting

Distinguished Ministers, dear colleagues,

Minister Sergey Lavrov, thank you for hosting us in Niznhy Novgorod, capital of the sunset, a city so evocative of Russia’s origins.

It’s a pleasure to meet the original fellow BRICS members again, who are companions of many years, and to warmly welcome our colleagues the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

As we gather for the first time as an enlarged BRICS family, allow me to express my sadness for the tragic passing of His Excellency President Ebrahim Raisi and of my dear friend, Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, with whom I always had a very positive dialogue. Please, Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, extend our heartfelt condolences to their families and friends on behalf of Brazil.

This meeting takes place against the background of a world in disarray. A world that has failed to overcome hunger and poverty, is heading towards a tipping point in global warming, and has not prevented the eruption of conflicts and humanitarian disasters.

This is a time when the United Nations and other multilateral institutions are either sidelined or paralyzed, and international law, including basic humanitarian principles, are being blatantly disregarded, as we are witnessing in Gaza.

Brazil values its bilateral relations with each one of the eight countries around this table, and we collaborate closely with each one in international organizations, as well as in platforms like the G20. BRICS, which materializes the growing influence of the Global South in international affairs, is no exception.

We may be seen as an improbable group of countries destined to remain divided by geography, culture and politics. Yet, against all odds, our convergence has expanded over the years. Despite our differences, we have been able to find common ground and collaborate in many fields.

Dialogue is urgently needed today. The fact that this grouping has attracted the interest of so many countries, especially the ones that join us for the first time around this table is a testimony to the success of BRICS.

How is this possible?

The key is cohesion, which we should strive to preserve. This means adhering to the “BRICS’s spirit”, which is mutual respect, understanding each other’s interests and aspirations, sovereign equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, strengthened collaboration and consensus.

The Johannesburg II Summit Declaration provides a solid basis for moving forward. I am confident that the Kazan Summit will reaffirm the main tenets of our fruitful collaboration under the three pillars: political security; economic and financial cooperation; and cultural and people-to-people cooperation.

Upon accepting the invitation to join the BRICS family, the new members have energized this grouping and embraced the “BRICS Spirit”. Our enlarged family should join forces on a vast array of topics. I wish to highlight two of them.

First, our leaders have called for Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to consider the issue of local currencies, payment instruments and platforms. This is a topic that was raised by President Lula in Johannesburg, and on which Brazil expects the new members to be fully engaged. It will also certainly be an important topic of Brazil’s BRICS Presidency next year.

Second, we have been calling for the strengthening of multilateralism for many years. Crucial to that is our consensus on the comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, as carefully drafted in the Johannesburg II Summit Declaration. This is a key issue, a BRICS cornerstone, so to speak. We should find means on collaborating more to move this topic forward in the United Nations.

Mr. President,

We have been tasked by our leaders to develop the partner country model.

A new category of association to BRICS would respond to the growing interest in joining BRICS by many countries of the Global South. Our sherpas have been discussing possible guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures. We trust we will reach consensus by the Kazan Summit.

At this stage, our focus should be not on specific country lists, but on what will be the degree of participation of partner countries in BRICS, whether they will attend only BRICS Summits and Foreign Minister’s meetings or also other BRICS meetings and activities. We should also agree on certain criteria for partner countries, such as geographical balance.

Will the partner country be required to adhere to all BRICS declarations and instruments? Or will we require them to abide by some basic BRICS understandings?

I am confident that we can reach an agreement, to be decided by our leaders in Kazan. To that effect it is important that we acknowledge that BRICS needs time to adjust to its enlarged format.

We have to make sure that the new family members are fully accommodated in the vast array of BRICS institutions, including the New Development Bank.

I intend to present further comments on this issue under the next topic.

Rest assured, Mr. President, that Brazil remains fully committed to working constructively under your guidance to complete the task that was entrusted to us.

Brazil values BRICS, which has become indispensable in advancing the interests of the Global South. We will remain fully and constructively engaged in strengthening this platform.

Thank you.