The BRICS+ summit held in Russia was not only the most significant and large-scale event in the decade and a half history of this organization, but also an important step towards the formation of a multipolar world.
Significant decisions were made during the negotiations in Kazan, Russia, focusing on creating new alternative instruments of trade and finance, as well as reforming the United Nations. The BRICS+ countries plan to significantly increase the role of states in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.
At the summit in Kazan, one of Russia’s megacities, the leaders of the BRICS+ countries and their partner states discussed key issues regarding the reform of the global political and economic system, which should take into account the interests of all nations. One central point of the bilateral and multilateral negotiations was the need to reform the UN, considering the increased roles of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American countries in global politics and the international economic system.
During the summit, it was noted that the United Nations, established in 1945, does not reflect the current realities of the international political architecture and, due to its structure, is unable to effectively fulfill its mandate. In the 79 years since the UN’s founding, dozens of sovereign countries have emerged from colonial oppression, new political, military, and economic superpowers have arisen, and once-mighty empires have collapsed or transformed. Yet, the permanent composition of the UN’s key body, the Security Council, still does not include countries such as South Africa, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan, nor does it represent the regional powers of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. Moreover, of the ten UN Presidents, six have come from the Western world, suggesting that the rights and interests of the Global South have not been adequately represented on this global platform.
In recent years, the United Nations has faced criticism for its Western-centricity. The UN system has been accused of failing to prevent armed conflicts, such as those affecting the civilian population of the Gaza Strip, as well as for unsuccessful humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. This has led to calls for the creation of new decision-making mechanisms and for more balanced representation in the Security Council, with broader participation from the Global South.
Taking all these challenges into account, the BRICS+ leaders unanimously supported the initiative to increase the representation of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America in the UN, including the Security Council.
Another major outcome of the Kazan summit was the declaration that BRICS+ is unconditionally open to cooperation with new candidates for membership, particularly with states on the African continent, symbolizing the bloc’s aspiration for an unprecedented expansion of partnership. The organization’s leaders emphasized that the bloc remains open to all countries that share its values and strive to build a just world order. Special attention was given to African nations, which play a key role in the formation of a new multipolar world. Countries such as South Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia, whose leaders actively participated in the discussions and proposed expanding BRICS+ cooperation with all African nations, are central to this process.
BRICS+’s openness to new partner countries demonstrates the bloc’s desire to expand its influence and create a global platform for interaction among developing countries. The BRICS+ leaders expressed confidence that Africa will be a crucial region for the organization’s further expansion and underlined their readiness to welcome more African states into the bloc. This decision aims to deepen political and economic interaction and create conditions for sustainable development.
