Statement of the Russian BRICS Chairmanship on the Results of the Sixth BRICS Parliamentary Forum

BRICS

On October 27, 2020, the Sixth BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held via videoconference.

Noting the special role of the legislative bodies in establishing the BRICS as an influential factor in international politics and economy, the Forum participants exchanged views on the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation within the BRICS taking into account the interests of strengthening multidisciplinary strategic partnership, global stability, shared security, and innovative growth;

Confirmed that the focus of the parliaments of the BRICS countries is interaction in the formation of a multipolar international system based on the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, the right of peoples to determine their own destiny, rejection of the threat or use of force, cooperation, mutual respect for the interests of all participants, protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms;

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations, reaffirmed support of strengthening the central coordinating role of the UN in international affairs on the basis of the generally recognized norms and principles of international law enshrined in the Charter of this universal Organization, and also emphasized the inadmissibility of attempts to undermine and revise the existing international legal framework and the application of any measures of a coercive nature that are contrary to international law and the UN Charter;

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Victory over Nazism, stated the need to intensify efforts, including at the legislative level, to fight against justification of Nazi ideology, racism, and xenophobia, distortion of history, including the causes, course, and results of World War II;

We expressed deep concern over the international challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, its very serious impact on human health, social and economic spheres on a global scale, the problems of introduction of unilateral measures and protectionism;

We agreed to pay special attention to strengthening the capacity of the World Health Organization and further positive contribution of the BRICS countries to international health security, as well as legislative initiatives taken within the BRICS in this area, including all possible assistance in the implementation of the BRICS Leaders Ufa (2015) and Xiamen ( 2017) declarations on strengthening efforts to combat the infectious diseases, as well as the prompt and effective establishment of the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Center;

We reaffirmed the commitment to exchange experience and cooperate in the field of health, on issues of ”post-COVID“ economic recovery, including support for small and medium-sized businesses, improving labor legislation, social protection of citizens, development of outlying areas;

We noted the relevance of legislative support for achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and providing parliamentary support for better cooperation between the BRICS countries on the issues related to economy and trade, climate change, poverty eradication, the situation of women and children, fight against corruption, culture, science, education, civil society, youth contacts, sports, as well as addressing other acute social problems within regional and global dimensions;

We expressed our intention to strengthen and develop inter-parliamentary cooperation to combat terrorism and its financing;

We emphasized the importance of forming a regulatory framework for cooperation between the BRICS countries in the field of new technologies and introduction of digital economy, ensuring the digital sovereignty of states, protecting the rights of citizens in the digital space;

We supported establishment of regular communication mechanism to exchange views between legislators of the BRICS states on topical issues on the international agenda to expand the legal framework for multifaceted cooperation responding to the current realities and to facilitate the search for optimal collective responses to modern global challenges;

The Forum participants spoke in favor of the further development of the BRICS parliamentary dimension.