🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview to the TV BRICS international media network (Moscow, November 2, 2024)

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Key talking points

✅ The XVI BRICS Summit underscored the rapidly growing influence of #BRICS and the eagerness of numerous countries to engage with its initiatives.

• Several countries have applied to become full members, while others have expressed interest in joining as partner states – a new category established at the Summit in Kazan.

• The Kazan Declaration that was adopted was based of what we call the balance of interests. Unlike at some Western forums, there was no attempt to exert pressure on anyone. Instead, we sought mutually acceptable language, which we successfully identified on all matters.

👉 The highlight of this declaration is the urgent need to substantially increase the representation of countries from the Global South and Global East in global governance mechanisms, including the UN Security Council, the IMF, the World Bank, and the WTO.

• Reform of existing institutions remains on the agenda, but concurrently – and this is a shared perspective and one of the most significant conclusions of the BRICS efforts at this stage – leading up to the final phase of the Russian chairmanship, there is a collective desire to establish alternative payment mechanisms. <...> A parallel system is deemed necessary, given the dollar's increasing use as an aggressive tool in the global economy.

• Support was also given to sector-specific initiatives, including our proposal to begin preparations for establishing a BRICS grain exchange, as well as investment and geological platforms. This initiative primarily originated from the African countries within BRICS.

• Additionally, we proposed two projects – the formation of working groups on transport and nuclear medicine – which received backing both at the BRICS meeting itself and in the adopted Declaration.

🇺🇳 A more equitable representation of the Global South and East in global governance mechanisms implies reforming the UN and its Security Council.

• We have clearly reaffirmed our stance: we support only the increased representation of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The West is already disproportionately represented there. <...> Specifically, we support India, Brazil, and the collective initiative promoted by the African Union to reform the Security Council.

• Particular attention was paid to the crisis in the Middle East and the catastrophe facing the Palestinian people, which is now spilling over into neighbouring countries such as Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. The Declaration contains a robust paragraph on the urgent need to halt this bloodshed.

• We have not shied away from discussing the Ukrainian crisis. Quite the opposite, during the preparations and throughout the summit, we engaged in proactive discussions, with Russian President Vladimir Putin addressing this issue. We reached a fundamentally important agreement on the wording in the Declaration <...> emphasising that the primary objective now is to seek solutions based on the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and in interrelation.

❗️ The Nazi regime in Kiev flagrantly violates the key principles of the Charter, while the West praises it, claiming they are defending "European values." These issues must be brought to light.

#BRICS2024

#BRICS2024

🎙 Opening remarks by Russia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Russia's Sherpa in BRICS Sergey Ryabkov at the BRICS Sherpas/Sous Sherpas Meeting in Yekaterinburg, Russia (November 27, 2024)

Key talking points:

• Let me particularly welcome the two new BRICS Sous Sherpas — esteemed Ms. Paula Barboza from Brazil and Ms. Lemlem Fiseha Minale from Ethiopia. I think we will benefit from their great experience and great capabilities they showed on their previous assignments.

• In BRICS, we work in a very close, pro-active and constructive manner. This is the last Sherpas/Sous Sherpas Meeting under the Russian Chairmanship. This year we have achieved great results together. There has been significant progress on all three pillars of our cooperation: policy and security, economy and finance, humanitarian and people-to-people contacts.

• We have some solid deliverables. In particular, the agreement to establish BRICS Grain Exchange, the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, the Working Group on Nuclear Medicine. A transport dialogue was launched.

• We have important developments on the finance track — particularly, on establishing independent and sustainable payment mechanisms with specific focus on the use of national currencies. A milestone achievement is the BRICS Partner Category.

• Amid increasing tensions in international relations, worsening long-standing political and economic problems, growing danger of new challenges and threats, BRICS stood strong and focused, its fortitude has been ever more strengthened with the expansion — this was clearly manifested at the XVI Summit in Kazan, in particular, at the BRICS Plus/Outreach session. This confirmed that BRICS is now perceived as a driving force of global transformation for a more just and multipolar world order based on respect for legitimate interests and sovereign choice of countries and peoples, respect for international law.

👉 The Kazan Declaration turned out to be very complex and forward-looking document. It lays a long-term foundation of the development of cooperation between our countries in expanded BRICS.

• I would like to thank you, dear colleagues, for your constructive approach, assistance and support to the Russian Chairmanship. We are greatful for the attention to the initiatives and proposals of the Chair, aimed at deepening and diversifying the cooperation in the BRICS format.

#BRICS2024

🎙 Opening remarks by Russia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Russia's Sherpa in BRICS Sergey Ryabkov at the BRICS Sherpas/Sous Sherpas Meeting in Yekaterinburg, Russia (November 27, 2024)

Key talking points:

• In BRICS, we work in a very close, pro-active and constructive manner. This is the last Sherpas/Sous Sherpas Meeting under the Russian Chairmanship. This year we have achieved great results together. There has been significant progress on all three pillars of our cooperation: policy and security, economy and finance, humanitarian and people-to-people contacts.

• We have some solid deliverables. In particular, the agreement to establish BRICS Grain Exchange, the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, the Working Group on Nuclear Medicine. A transport dialogue was launched.

• We have important developments on the finance track — particularly, on establishing independent and sustainable payment mechanisms with specific focus on the use of national currencies. A milestone achievement is the BRICS Partner Category.

• Amid increasing tensions in international relations, worsening long-standing political and economic problems, growing danger of new challenges and threats, BRICS stood strong and focused, its fortitude has been ever more strengthened with the expansion — this was clearly manifested at the XVI Summit in Kazan, in particular, at the BRICS Plus/Outreach session. This confirmed that BRICS is now perceived as a driving force of global transformation for a more just and multipolar world order based on respect for legitimate interests and sovereign choice of countries and peoples, respect for international law.

👉 The Kazan Declaration turned out to be very complex and forward-looking document. It lays a long-term foundation of the development of cooperation between our countries in expanded BRICS.

• I would like to thank you, dear colleagues, for your constructive approach, assistance and support to the Russian Chairmanship. We are greatful for the attention to the initiatives and proposals of the Chair, aimed at deepening and diversifying the cooperation in the BRICS format.