On April 30th, the two-day BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting concluded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on the afternoon of April 29th. The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting issued a presidential statement reaffirming the commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership framework among BRICS countries and carrying out cooperation under the three pillars of policy security, economy and finance, and people to people exchanges. The foreign ministers of various countries reiterated their commitment to upholding the BRICS spirit of mutual respect, mutual understanding, equal treatment, solidarity and mutual assistance, openness and inclusiveness, and consensus building, strengthening global cooperation in the South, and achieving more inclusive and sustainable governance. The statement welcomes Indonesia to become a member of BRICS, and welcomes Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan to become BRICS partner countries from January 1, 2025. The statement reaffirms the firm commitment to multilateralism and international law, including the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The ministers of various countries condemned unilateral actions, including intentional withholding of assessed contributions, that undermine the work of global multilateral institutions and hinder their performance of their respective responsibilities. The statement stated that all countries are aware of the current global polarization and mistrust situation, and encourage global action to strengthen international peace and security. The statement emphasizes the indivisibility of national security and reaffirms the commitment to peacefully resolving international disputes through dialogue, consultation, and diplomatic means. Foreign ministers of various countries advocate adopting a multilateral approach, respecting the views and positions of all countries on major global issues such as sustainable development, eradicating hunger and poverty, and fully addressing the challenges of climate change. They express serious concern over the rise of unreasonable unilateral protectionist measures that do not comply with WTO rules, including indiscriminately increasing reciprocal tariffs and non-tariff measures. Foreign ministers of various countries support comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including its Security Council, to make it more democratic, representative, effective, and efficient, and to increase the representation of developing countries in the Security Council, enabling it to effectively address current global challenges. In addition, the foreign ministers of the participating countries expressed serious concern over the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa region. During the meeting, representatives from various countries also elaborated on their respective national positions on the conflict in Ukraine expressed in relevant forums such as the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly. We look forward to the establishment of the “African Peace Initiative” and the “Friends of Peace Group” to peacefully resolve conflicts through official dialogue and diplomatic means. The foreign ministers of various countries strongly condemn any acts of terrorism, reaffirm their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, urge to ensure zero tolerance for terrorism, and refuse to adopt double standards in counter-terrorism issues. The statement concludes by stating that all parties will fully support Brazil’s assumption of the presidency of BRICS in 2025, with the theme of “Strengthening Global Southern Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance” for this year. The meeting also confirmed that the next BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be held during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, and will be hosted by India, the incoming chair of BRICS in 2026.
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