The heads of state and government of the BRICS group condemned this Sunday the"economic sanctions" and the "imposition of unilateral coercive measures", in an allusion to the tariffs imposed by the North American President, Donald Trump.
This condemnation arises from the declaration entitled"Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance", following the first plenary session of the heads of state and government of the group of emerging economies, who are meeting in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.
In a joint statement, the leaders expressed"serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that distort trade and are inconsistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules."
Without mentioning the United States, the group, which was initially founded by Brazil, Russia, India and China, reiterated that unilateral economic sanctions have far-reaching negative implications for human rights, including the rights to development, health and food security of the general population of the affected states.
These trade restrictions, they stressed, “disproportionately affect the poor and people in vulnerable situations, deepening the digital divide and exacerbating environmental challenges.”
For this reason, in the statement, the bloc that represents more than 40% of the global population and more than 35% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP), called for"the elimination of such illegal measures, which undermine international law and the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter. We reaffirm that BRICS member states do not impose or support sanctions not authorized by the UN Security Council."
The BRICS group was initially formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and, since last year, has six new full members: Egypt, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
These are joined as associate members by Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Lula da Silva today received BRICS leaders in Rio de Janeiro for the group's annual summit, marked by the absence of presidents such as Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping, at a summit that includes around 30 countries and a dozen international organizations.
Putin participates via videoconference after refusing Lula da Silva's invitation as he is under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes committed during the war in Ukraine. He will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
More surprising is the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who has been a regular participant at previous summits, and will be replaced by Premier Li Qiang.
The summit will focus on four main themes: the reform of the organizations that govern the international order, the promotion of multilateralism, the fight against hunger and poverty and the promotion of sustainable development, in a bloc that represents more than 40% of the global population and more than 35% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP).
Today, the BRICS Heads of State and Government have two plenary sessions scheduled, the first on"Peace and Security and Global Governance Reform" and the second on "Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic and Financial Affairs and Artificial Intelligence".
The latter will discuss the review of shareholdings in the World Bank, the realignment of IMF quotas and the increase in the representation of developing countries in leadership positions in international financial institutions, as well as the importance of reforming the UN Security Council.
Furthermore, and as has been the case during the BRICS ministerial meetings over the last few months, a denunciation of the increase in unjustified unilateral protectionist measures should be made, in reference to the measures announced by the President of the United States, Donald Trump; as well as a call for the increased use of local currencies in trade between the countries of the bloc.
