The Brics Parliamentary Forum reached a historic milestone on Thursday.
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) after two days of deliberations with the six new members who are joining the group next year.
The MOU strengthens cooperation among the parliamentary constituency to continue what it calls the important matters of working towards multilateralism, inclusive development and stability worldwide.
WATCH: BRICS Parliamentary Summit
The forum highlighted the importance of fostering multilateral solid ties for mutual development.
Throughout the meeting, the participants reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the values of mutual respect, understanding, sovereign equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, and consensus.
The BRICS nations celebrated the friendly relations among their member countries and the forum’s accomplishments in promoting dialogue and cooperation.
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BRICS Parliamentary Forum 2015
The 9th BRICS Parliamentary Forum drew on the roots of its inception, recalling the 2015 Moscow gathering where the intention to strengthen and promote inter-parliamentary exchanges and cooperation mechanisms was declared.
Subsequent declarations, such as the 2016 Jaipur Declaration and the Johannesburg Declaration of the 10th BRICS Summit in 2018, further emphasized the importance of strengthening BRICS parliamentary ties.
In a significant development, the Fourth BRICS Parliamentary Forum held in Geneva formalised the establishment of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum by adopting a Memorandum of Understanding.
This decision marked a significant step in institutionalizing the parliamentary dimension of BRICS cooperation.
The participants congratulated South Africa for successfully hosting the XV BRICS Summit in August 2023, which revolved around the theme “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism.”
The summit’s resolutions encompassed five crucial areas: equitable Just Transition, transforming education and skills development, harnessing opportunities through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), strengthening post-pandemic socio-economic recovery, and reinforcing multilateralism.
The recognition of the AfCFTA’s potential for enhancing trade partnerships in Africa and promoting the continent’s development and integration was of particular significance.
The BRICS nations also appreciated the progress made toward the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade.
One of the most notable announcements during the meeting was the extension of invitations to the Argentine Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to become full members of BRICS starting from January 1, 2024.
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In their resolutions, the BRICS parliamentary leaders outlined several key commitments:
- Enhancing People-to-People Exchanges: The leaders affirmed their commitment to fostering people-to-people exchanges and using modern information technologies to facilitate greater collaboration among BRICS parliaments.
- Implementing the 2030 Agenda: The nations pledged to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, urging donor countries to honour their Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments and facilitate capacity building and technology transfer to developing countries.
- Strengthening Multilateralism: The leaders reiterated their commitment to upholding international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter and strengthening the central role of the UN in maintaining peace and security, advancing sustainable development, and protecting democracy and human rights.
- Parliamentary Diplomacy for Peace and Development: The BRICS nations aimed to enhance their strategic partnership through parliamentary diplomacy to promote a more representative and fairer international order, a reformed multilateral system, and sustainable development.
- Implementing BRICS Summit Resolutions: The participants committed to implementing the resolutions from the XV BRICS Summit within their parliaments to maximise the benefits of AfCFTA for BRICS trade partnerships and African development.
The 9th BRICS Parliamentary Forum concluded with a sense of optimism, highlighting the continued importance of inter-parliamentary dialogue in advancing mutual interests and fostering international cooperation.
The leaders left Johannesburg with a renewed commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership to benefit their respective nations and the world at large.
*CGTN is a BGTN content partner
