Brasilia: The 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held with delegations from 16 countries, including BRICS members and invited states, participating in the event. Brazil was represented at the opening of the forum by Davi Alcolumbre, President of the Federal Senate (upper house) of the Brazilian National Congress.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Alcolumbre, in his speech, called for reform of the international security architecture, the strengthening of national health systems, and the development of rules in the field of artificial intelligence. He emphasized that BRICS countries account for 40 percent of global GDP and highlighted the active participation of women parliamentarians in the forum as an important achievement.
Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin also addressed the forum, outlining Brazil’s priorities during its presidency of BRICS. These priorities include the formation of a pandemic response mechanism, the expansion of settlements in national currencies, and the financing of projects by the New Development Bank (NDB). Alckmin called for strengthening parliamentary ties and collective action in global security and health.
Indonesia was represented by House of Representatives (DPR) legislator Mardani Ali Sera, who stressed the importance of deepening cooperation in trade, investment, finance, and technology. He noted BRICS’ desire to enhance multilateral cooperation and promote the use of local currencies in trade to bolster economic resilience.
Hussein Fadluloh, Deputy Head of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP), expressed Indonesia’s interest in joint projects on investment and technology transfer, especially in the context of national policy on the deep processing of raw materials.
Belarus was represented by Sergey Rachkov, Chairperson of the Standing Commission of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus. Rachkov stated the republic’s aim to become a full member of BRICS and its interest in expanding cooperation in food, mechanical engineering, and agricultural technology. He emphasized the importance of BRICS as a platform reflecting the interests of the Global South.