BRICS : The bridge of the Global South

KATHMANDU:  Recently, the 16th BRICS summit was held at historic city of Russia (Kazan) from October 22 to 24. The speeches of the global leaders and the 134-point declaration didn’t ‘order’ others to do this and that. It simply urged for collective actions and shared commitment.

Let us have a glance at what major BRICS leaders did say. Chinese President, Xi Jinping, said, ‘The collective rise of the Global South is a distinctive feature of the great transformation across the world. Global South countries marching together towards modernization are monumental in world history and unprecedented in human civilization.’

Host Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the strength and significance of the BCRICS and said, ‘The share of BRICS countries in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) will reach 36.7 percent in 2024, which is larger than the share of the G7 countries, which was 30 percent in 2023 and will only grow slightly in 2024.’

Indian PM Narendra Modi added optimistic tone in his speech by saying, ‘In its new avatar, BRICS accounts for 40 percent of the world’s humanity and about 30 percent of the global economy.’

Other speaking BRICS leaders also echoed the optimistic tone in their words and expression at Kazan.

Despite being increasingly powerful grouping since its first formal summit of 2009, BRICS 134-point declaration stressed on inclusivity and local solutions and didn’t dictate others. For instance, in point 38, it says, ‘We reiterate that the principle ‘African Solutions to the African Problems’ should continue to serve as the basis for the conflict resolution on the African continent.’

BRICS also owns and lauds better decision by other grouping. For instance, while talking about G20 decision, the point 7 of the declaration says, ‘… we acknowledge the G20 Call to Action on Global Governance Reform launched by Brazil during its G20 presidency.’

In the face of increasingly divided world, BRICS seems to be a place of peaceful meet-up. So was the reason Chinese and Indian delegation level meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister Modi was held on the sidelines of 16th BRICS Summit. The October 23 bilateral meeting was a major breakthrough after five years of tense border and trade issues. While lauding the Russia after India-China high-level meeting, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said to Russian channel RT, ‘We can thank Russia for providing the venue.’

BRICS as a block and its members on their own are acting as the connector for the rest of the world. Russia has helped gather China and India after five years. China has helped mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as it has helped gather all Palestine factions. Brazil has made history of joint military exercise with countries that include China and the US. India has strongly voiced for the African Union seat in the UNSC.  Plus, it has been constantly hosting ‘Voice of the Global South’ Summit, third edition was held this year on August 17.

Owing to such bridging behaviors, not the preaching ones, dozens of nations from the Global South are eager to join BRICS. Even the NATO nation Turkiye has been part of recent BRICS Plus summit at Kazan, Russia. In Nepal also, voices are up for BRICS application. Surrounded by two mighty BRICS members-China and India, it is natural for Nepal to be a part of this grouping. Nepal is already a dialogue partner in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) since 2016 where three major BRICS nations- China, India and Russia- are members. Various opportunities and scholarships are announced recently in the BRICS Plus Summit from which Nepal can make an inspiration for its multi-faceted development. BRICS-run bank New Development Bank can boost Nepal’s development and investment. BRICS has $30 trillion plus economy. BRICS-run New Development Bank has invested over billions.

What BRICS is all about? This is rightly described by former Singaporean UN diplomat and famous author Kishor Mahbubani. While speaking to the India’s NDTV World Summit 2024, he said the newly evolved world is ‘ New 3M World’ i.e. multi-civilizational,  multilateral and multi-polar. He added, ‘We are no longer dominated by the West. And, West no longer can runs the world. The West is losing itself.’

Nepal must tap into this potential non-Western opportunity. However, this doesn’t mean to be anti Western.