BRICS adopts New Delhi Declaration, backs UN reforms

BRICS nations reaffirm commitment to reforming and improving global governance

New Delhi, Sep 12

The New Delhi Declaration was adopted after the leaders of BRICS members attended the 18th BRICS Summit held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi under the theme of 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'.

The leaders of the BRICS members reiterated their commitment to strengthening multilateralism and multipolarity and upholding international law, including the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

"Bearing in mind the need to adapt the current architecture of international relations to better reflect the contemporary realities, we reiterate our commitment to strengthening multilateralism and multipolarity and to upholding international law, including the Purposes and Principles of the Charter of the United Nations (UN) in their entirety and interconnectedness in a balanced and inclusive manner, as its indispensable cornerstone, and the central role of the UN in the international system in which sovereign states cooperate to maintain peace and security, advance sustainable development, ensure the promotion and protection of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, and promote cooperation based on the spirit of solidarity, mutual respect, justice and equality while respecting national circumstances, diversity of national systems and development pathways, with the aim to build a brighter shared future for the international community based on mutually beneficial cooperation," the New Delhi Declaration read.

The leaders of BRICS members reiterated their commitment to ensuring greater and more meaningful participation and representation of Emerging Market and Developing Countries (EMDCs), as well as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), especially from Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, in global decision-making processes and structures and making them better attuned to contemporary realities.

The BRICS members called for achieving equitable geographical representation in the Secretariat of the UN and other international organisations in a timely manner, particularly by addressing the persistent under-representation of developing countries, including at senior and decision-making levels, as well as increasing the role and share of women, especially from EMDCs, at all levels of leadership and responsibilities in these organisations.

The leaders of BRICS members emphasised the need for the selection and appointment process of the UN executive heads and senior positions to be guided by the principles of transparency and inclusiveness, and carried out in accordance with all the provisions of Article 101 of the UN Charter, with due regard for recruiting staff on a geographical basis and the increased participation of women, and to adhere to the rule that there should be no monopoly on senior posts in the UN system by nationals of any state or group of states. They deplored the attempts to unilaterally undermine the work of global multilateral institutions and impair the implementation of their respective mandates.

"We agree that, in the context of the contemporary realities of the multipolar world, it is crucial that developing countries strengthen their efforts to promote dialogue and consultations for more just and equitable global governance and mutually beneficial relations among nations. We acknowledge that multipolarity can expand opportunities for EMDCs to develop their constructive potential and enjoy universally beneficial, inclusive, sustainable and equitable economic globalisation and cooperation," the declaration mentioned.

The leaders of BRICS nations stressed the importance of the Global South as a driver for positive change, particularly in the face of international challenges, including deepening geopolitical tensions, rapid economic downturns and technological changes, protectionist measures, migratory challenges, and climate change. They said that BRICS nations will continue to play an important role in voicing the concerns and priorities of the Global South as well as promoting a more just, sustainable, inclusive, representative and stable international order based on international law.

— IANS