Foreign ministers from the expanded BRICS group of nations, now including Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia, convened in Russia on Monday for a two-day meeting. The gathering, chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, focused on current international relations, global governance reform, and conflict resolution.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, in his inaugural address as a BRICS member, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemning indiscriminate Israeli military actions that have led to widespread casualties and a humanitarian crisis.
He urged Israel to adhere to international law, allow unfettered humanitarian aid access, and respect Palestinian rights to self-determination and a sovereign state.
Shoukry reaffirmed Egypt’s support for a two-state solution as the only viable path to peace, highlighting ongoing mediation efforts and Egypt’s upcoming co-hosting of an international conference to address Gaza’s humanitarian needs.
Shoukry emphasised the importance of BRICS, now strengthened by recent expansion, in advocating for a fairer and more resilient global economic structure.
He outlined Egypt’s priorities, including more inclusive global economic governance representing developing nations, increased development financing and concessional funding from multilateral banks, support for regional trade agreements within the Global South, adequate climate finance, reform of the global debt structure to enable investment in human resources and infrastructure, and technology transfer and capacity building for developing countries.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister also highlighted the potential of expanded use of national currencies in financial transactions among BRICS nations and underscored the role of the BRICS New Development Bank in expanding development options for critical projects.
In his opening remarks, Lavrov highlighted the growing significance of BRICS in a changing world order. “The expansion of BRICS is a clear confirmation of the process of forming a multipolar world order,” he said, noting the increasing influence of Global South and East nations in global decision-making. Lavrov criticised what he described as Western attempts to maintain dominance and slow down the emergence of a multipolar system. He accused Western nations of using economic “weapons” like sanctions and financial pressure to influence the choices of sovereign states.
The meeting’s agenda also includes discussions on strengthening the role of developing countries in global governance, conflict resolution, and collaboration in leading multilateral platforms. A separate session will be held with the participation of several “friends of BRICS” nations, including representatives from Brazil, South Africa, the UAE, China, Iran, Ethiopia, and India.
This gathering marks a significant step for the expanded BRICS group, which now represents a larger and more diverse coalition of countries seeking to shape the future of international relations and global governance. It was attended by South Africa’s Naledi Pandor, UAE’s Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Brazil’s Mauro Viera, China’s Wang Yi, Iran’s Ali Bagheri Kani, Ethiopia’s Taye Atske-Selassie, and India’s Deputy FM Dammu Ravi.
