BRICS summit: Members raise concerns over Israeli bombing in Gaza

KAZAN: In a joint statement released follow the recent BRICS summit, member states raised their concerns over the escalating violence in the Middle East, particularly the Israeli bombing of Gaza and the occupied-West Bank.

The announcement detailed that the huge loss of life, forced evacuation and the widespread destruction affecting Palestinian civilians as a result of the Israeli brutality

The BRICS member states comprise of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It also issued  a warning to the international community regarding the deteriorating situation in Lebanon.

Read more: US lawmakers urge Biden to advocate for Imran Khan’s release

The announcement expressed grief over the deteriorating situation in Lebanon, as relentless Israeli bombardment has killed at least 2,000 Lebanese.

The joint declaration talked about the importance of adhering to the United Nations Charter concerning the conflict in Ukraine. The BRICS members called for a negotiated resolution  to the war, advocating for diplomati efforts to restore peace in the region.

During the second day of the BRICS summit, discussions shifted towards the economic cooperation and the potential expansion of the organisation.

Russian president Vladimir Putin proposed the establishment of a BRICS investment platform, a commodity exchange and a dedicated marketplace for the precious metals and diamonds.

The initiative aims to improve economic cooperation among the member states and strengthen their collective influence in global markets.

Many had also viewed Putin’s proposal as opening a third economic bloc to break away from Western hegemony and hold on most financial institution.

The United States and its European allies slapped crippling sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2021.

Bilateral talks were a focal point of the meeting, the Putin engaging in discussions with the Chinese Premiere Xi Jingping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leaders of South Africa and Egypt, among others.

The leaders explored avenues for increasing economic ties and the possibility of admitting new members into the BRICS framework.

President Putin talked about the “shared values” and global perspectives among the BRICS member-states. He that a new multipolar world was emerging.

He noted that the new world order was becoming the foundation for a new wave of economic development, driven by the Global South and East.

Read more: 70 Israeli soldiers killed in battle with Hezbollah

Meanwhile, the Chinese Premiere  talked about adapting a multilateral approach to international affairs. He advocated for cooperation among all states to address global challenges.