The BRICS leaders met in Kazan, where they held a dialogue with non-member countries interested in strengthening their ties with the group. During this meeting, the President of China, Xi Jinping, expressed strong support for Global South countries, highlighting that their collective rise is a distinctive aspect of global transformation.
According to Deepak, a professor at the Centre for Chinese and Southeast Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, the inclusion of more countries in BRICS cooperation reflects the appeal that the group has in the Global South, which seeks to maximize what BRICS has achieved.
During the summit, the great development potential of the BRICS mechanism and the importance of building the future based on mutual respect and partnership were emphasized. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pointed out that BRICS has experience in this approach.
According to the declaration adopted at the summit, BRICS countries are committed to strengthening the New Development Bank and expanding its members. It was also agreed to promote financial cooperation and facilitate transactions in local currencies.
The leaders present expressed their support for the participation of more Global South countries in BRICS, either as full members, partner countries, or in the 'BRICS Plus' format, with the aim of building a shared global community.
Additionally, the BRICS summit addressed various urgent issues such as global peace, global governance, sustainable development, eradication of poverty, climate change, and the fight against terrorism and transnational crimes. The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, emphasized the importance of discussing these issues with Global South countries.
The Kazan summit was the first in-person meeting of BRICS leaders following the group's membership expansion last year, and it saw the participation of leaders from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, as well as representatives from various international organizations.
