This year the BRICS summit was held in Russia, in Kazan. From a symbolic point of view, with the Russia-Ukraine conflict still ongoing, the location takes on an important value, particularly for Russia. The BRICS group, an acronym indicating the main non-Western emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), at the beginning of 2024 it expanded with the entry of new member countries: Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has been invited but has not yet formally accepted the invitation. The objective is to give these countries an emerging weight and a greater representativeness internationally. But what were the main ones? points touched at the Kazan summit? And which ones conclusions?
The main points of the BRICS Summit in Kazan
The BRICS countries represent almost the half of the world’s population and the 35% of GDP global, also having considerable importance from the point of view of the production of petrolium and other minerals such as copper, lithium, steel and aluminium. Their weight on the international scene is in fact increasing. The Kazan summit developed in particular around three aces main ones, developed and included in the Kazan Declaration of 23 October:
- Ongoing conflict resolution in particular regarding the delicate situation in Middle Eastcalling for a ceasefire in Palestine and in Lebanon and trying to find an agreement for stability and peace globally.
- Strengthening of international cooperation between the BRICS member countries and the associated countries, on a continuous basis BRICS enlargement
- Creating aalternative from the point of view of international payments and exchanges with alternatives to Western payment systems
The new associated countries: new world order against the Western bloc?
“The process of forming a multipolar world order is underway, a dynamic and irreversible process” these were the words of the Russian President Vladimir Putin during the summit. Without a doubt, the goal of the BRICS is to have a greater representativeness of Developing countries globally and internationally. After the entry of new countries in early 2024, now i BRICS will have 13 new associated countries, therefore not yet full members, among which they appear Cuba, Bolivia, Indonesia, Nigeria and maybe even Türkiye.
The goal of BRICS countries, especially some members such as China and Russia, is to demonstrate developing countries’ influence and non-isolation against the US-led Western bloc. This while also remaining open to a dialogue with them United Nations: the Secretary General of the UN Antonio Guterres in fact he met Russian President Putin during the Kazan summit. In fact, the BRICS countries have been supporting one for years United Nations reformparticularly regarding the current one structure of the Security Councilwhich with its five permanent members exercises a “obsolete” veto power which is no longer representative of the interests of all Member States.
Alternatives to the dollar in international trade
One of the main points on the summit table was that of dollar and his use on the US side to achieve political objectives, not promoting equity from the point of view of international transactions and often using, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin, this currency as a “weapon”. This refers to the sanctions international imposed on Russia by Western countries after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. For this reason, the BRICS currently prefer the use of national currencies in transactions between BRICS countries and with their trading partners.
The idea, however, also discussed in Kazan, is that of create a payment system based on blockchain technology and cryptocurrencieswhich would represent aalternative to the current system, questioning Western financial institutions. In addition to this proposal, the creation of one was also under discussion in Kazan precious metals and diamond platform and the so-called cereal bag, that is, a trading platform for grain and other food products that would guarantee a continuous supply of agricultural products even in periods of severe crisis or sanctions. The BRICS are therefore pushing for one greater connection of financial infrastructures reducing barriers and creating new payment instruments, which they consider more effective and inclusive.
The ceasefire in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon
The delicate situation in Kazan was also at the center of the Kazan Summit Ukraine and the Middle East: the‘Iranwho took part in the BRICS summit for the first time since joining it, recalled the need to avoid escalation in the Middle East, and stop the bombing on Gazawhich have caused more than since October 2023 42,000 civilian victims. Lebanon was also at the center of the discussion, with the intervention of Brazilian President Lula da Silva who expressed his concern about the spread of the conflict to West Bank and, indeed, al Lebanon. The concern of the BRICS leaders is that of an expansion of the conflict on a global level. Requests for a ceasefire have also arrived regarding the‘Ukraine: the general secretary ofUN Antonio Guterrespresent in Kazan, recalled the need to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
India-China relations
Together with the Russiathe China sees the BRICS as an opportunity to lead the group and increase your influence globally. In fact, many BRICS members are strongly linked to China from the point of view commercial. Also the entry among the new member countries of Ethiopia and Egypt was important, as strategic partners for the Beijing government: theAfrica in fact it is a continent of all time greater interest for the Chinese and also Indian foreign policy.
Precisely the presence ofIndia within the BRICS it constitutes an important element: India and China they have an ongoing strategic rivalry and territorial disputes, as well as both experiencing great economic growth with the ambition of leading the growth of countries in the Global South. However, both countries must maintain cooperation within the BRICS for multilateral and long-term objectives.
Critical issues in the enlargement of the BRICS
THE BRICS countries they are hiring a ever-increasing role on an economic and demographic level a international level and the inclusion of new members is increasing their importance even in multilateral fora. However, an element that must be taken into consideration is theheterogeneity of the countries of the group, which also have very different interests, such as Saudi Arabia And Iran. This could have an impact on creating a common agenda.
Unlike China and Russia, for example, Brazil and India they maintain strong and positive ties with the European Union and the United States, with a more open and balanced foreign policy. THE’Indiain addition to the BRICS, is also part of the QUAD(Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), a group formed by Japan, United States, India and Australia which has as its objective security of the Indo-Pacific area, containing Also the Chinese influence in the area. The delicate geopolitical balances must therefore unite with economic interests, maintaining representativeness and compactness in a multilateral context.
