Global Research

Heads-of-State and other leading government officials gathered in Kazan of the Russian Federation to continue their work aimed at building a more equitable form of relations between countries and peoples largely centered in the Global South.

BRICS 2024 delegates convened during a period of escalating regional war and the rise of impoverishment among billions around the world.

Russian President Vladimir Putin committed to holding bilateral meetings with many of his counterparts attending the Summit. Recognizing the significance of the present international situation where the system of world development is shifting from the Global North to the South, Moscow has centered its political orientation towards the geopolitical regions where the overwhelming majority of people reside.

Leaders attending the meeting included Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. These four important leaders from Asia and Africa have in recent years experienced sharp differences with the United States involving domestic and international issues.

Important to the Summit was the attendance by United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres who was greeted at the Kazan International Airport by Farid Mukhametshin, Chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Tartarstan, on October 22.

Tartarstan is located in the Volga Federal District of Eastern European Russian territory. Kazan is the capital and largest municipality in the area. This region of the country is known for encompassing the longest river in Europe (Volga) and produces large amounts of oil which underpins its strong petrochemical industry.

Western Domination Results in Underdevelopment and Destabilization

This meeting between October 22-24 gathered under the theme of “Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security” which represents an anathema to U.S. imperialism and its allies within Western Europe and other geo-political regions. Both capitalist ruling class parties in the U.S. strongly believe in the concept of “American exceptionalism”, meaning that imperialism has a “manifest destiny” to exploit, oppress and militarily dominate the overwhelming majority of those on the planet.

The impact of western domination is being felt by the nations which are targeted by the imperialist states for sanctions, destabilization and military interventions. The social outcomes of the wars of occupation and genocide have resulted in the destruction of national economies, the emergence of civil conflict and mass migration to other underdeveloped countries as well as the developed capitalist states of the West.

Efforts to build alternative centers of power within Europe and the Global South have prompted the commencement of internal political struggles and a major regional conflagration between Ukraine, backed by the NATO states, and the Russian Federation along with its allies. In addition, there are numerous areas in Latin America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific, where Washington and Wall Street are seeking to thwart economic development which could provide an independent existence for the developing, colonial and semi-colonial states.

The examples which are being set by the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran have been identified by the U.S. ruling class as detrimental to their national interests. All of these states are playing an integral part in the growth of BRICS and other multilateral organizations and institutions. Billions around the globe are recognizing that the principal enemy of the aspirations of the world’s peoples are to be found in the imperialist centers of North America and Western Europe.

In contrast to the approach taken by the West, the BRICS nations are engaged in building alliances based upon mutual interests. Statista.com points out in its review of the emerging role of the Global South that:

“Speaking on the expansion of the BRICS, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said at a press briefing last year, ‘We shared our vision of BRICS as a champion of the needs and concerns of the peoples of the Global South. These include the need for beneficial economic growth, sustainable development and reform of multilateral systems.’ As our chart shows, the new, expanded BRICS represent roughly 45 percent of the world’s population and 35 percent of global GDP when measured at purchasing power parity. With the addition of Iran and the United Arab Emirates, the bloc has grown its combined oil production by nearly 50 percent and now accounts for almost 30 percent of global oil output, according to the Energy Institute. In terms of exports, the group’s footprint is relatively small. Last year, its nine members accounted for just 22 percent of global merchandise exports, with China alone accounting for nearly two thirds of the bloc’s exports.” 

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At present the BRICS states represent 3.2 billion people. This is approximately 45 percent of the world’s population. Absent the global dominance by the western imperialist states, the level of production and trade would be unleashed, marginalizing the corporate interests which are determined to maintain the international status quo.

Most of the valuable metals and strategic minerals which international finance capital is dependent on in order to ensure the rising rates of profit are to be found in the Global South. The breaking up of the transnational corporations which control these natural resources would foster an equitable distribution of income throughout the world.

Envisioning Another Path Toward Cooperation and Development

The further expansion of the BRICS alliance seems inevitable due to the burgeoning interest in its overall objectives. Dozens of other states are patiently awaiting admission since the bloc offers hope and inspiration to billions more around the globe.

At present the membership of BRICS encompasses Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). At this year’s Summit, there are more than 20 other states at the gathering.

In addition, the New Development Bank (NDB) headed by former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, reported on their fundraising activities geared towards creating access to loans for Global South countries on terms much more favorable than what has existed from western financial institutions. So far the NDB has approved $US32.8 billion in loans covering 96 projects. See this.

In acknowledging this important historical conjuncture, the BRICS 2024 website says:

“Of course, we will consider the degree to which many other countries, about 30 of them, are prepared to join the BRICS multidimensional agenda in one form or another. To this end, we will start working on the modalities of a new category of BRICS partner countries. In general, Russia will continue to promote all aspects of the BRICS partnership in three key areas: politics and security, economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian contacts. Naturally, we will focus on enhancing foreign policy coordination among the member countries and on jointly seeking effective responses to the challenges and threats to international and regional security and stability. We will contribute to the practical implementation of the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025 and the Action Plan for BRICS Innovation Cooperation 2021-2024 for ensuring energy and food security, enhancing the role of BRICS in the international monetary system, expanding interbank cooperation and expanding the use of national currencies in mutual trade.” 

This BRICS Summit held in Russia presents a totally different picture of Moscow than what is routinely put forward by the western corporate and governmental media outlets. It has clearly exposed the fact that the draconian sanctions imposed on Vladimir Putin’s government have not caused an economic collapse.

The reality is that China, Russia and Iran have reinforced their relations in light of the escalating threats by Washington. None of the participating governments at the BRICS Summit have condemned Russia for its Special Military Operations in Ukraine. Although the NATO propaganda over the last two-and-a-half years suggest that Ukraine is on the verge of a major military breakthrough against the Russian military, the objective conditions reveal otherwise.

Every week the Volodymyr Zelensky administration in Kyiv is making additional appeals for more funding from the NATO states, particularly the U.S. Ukraine, although framed as a “democratic state” by NATO, has prohibited anyone inside and outside of government from advocating for a peaceful conclusion to the war. As thousands of Ukrainian troops are put out of commission in the rapidly advancing frontlines, the government in Kyiv cannot recruit adequate numbers of troops to stave off the advances of the Russian military forces. The BRICS have consistently called for a diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine crisis and an immediate end to the fighting.

With specific reference to the situation in West Asia, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called upon all BRICS member-states and others to focus their attention on bringing the genocide in Palestine and Lebanon to a halt. “I call on all members of the influential BRICS group to use all their collective and individual capacities to end the war in Gaza and Lebanon, ” the president emphasized, describing the Tel Aviv’s actions as “the most cruel and painful.” See this.

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Abayomi Azikiwe is the editor of the Pan-African News Wire. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.  

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