Moscow Hosts First BRICS Justice Ministers’ Meeting

Moscow hosted the first BRICS Justice Ministers’ Meeting on 18 September as part of Russia’s BRICS chairmanship in 2024. The event was chaired by Russian Minister of Justice Konstantin Chuychenko.

The meeting was attended by South African Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Thembisile Simelane, UAE Minister of Justice Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, Chinese Minister of Justice He Rong, Iranian Minister of Justice Amin Hossein Rahimi, Egyptian Minister of Justice Adnan Al-Fangari, Brazilian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia Rodrigo de Lima Baena Soares, and Indian Deputy Minister of Law and Justice Anju Rathi Rana.

“The establishment of unified legal institutions and mechanisms within the BRICS framework is a strategic step that will lay the foundation for ensuring the sustainable socioeconomic development of the organization’s countries and will also ensure the harmonious integration of new participants into work in the BRICS format. Cooperation in an understandable legal framework is a key factor for the successful implementation of the association’s strategic goals of creating a common economic space and strengthening mutual trust between member countries,” Adviser to the Russian President and Executive Secretary of the Organizing Committee for Russia’s BRICS Chairmanship in 2024 Anton Kobyakov said.

During the meeting, the BRICS justice ministers discussed priority focuses of legal cooperation and exchanged views on the establishment of an advisory format on legal and justice issues within BRICS.

“BRICS stands out from numerous other formats of international cooperation due to its unconditional respect for the principles of the sovereign equality of states and the supremacy of international law in regulating international relations. Unity in diversity is the foundation of BRICS and the establishment of the future global order,” Konstantin Chuychenko said in his welcome address to the conference participants.

In his speech, Konstantin Chuychenko focused on possible areas that Russia has identified for the development of cooperation between BRICS countries in matters concerning justice. Such issues above all include the creation of effective mechanisms to regulate cross-border business and civil turnover, as well as to ensure the security of foreign investments. In particular, the following issues were acknowledged as promising areas of cooperation:

• Simplification of the procedure for the recognition and enforcement of foreign court decisions in civil and commercial cases
• Improvements to the international legal framework for mutual legal assistance in civil, family, and criminal cases
• Creation of the BRICS International Investment Arbitration Centre
• Joint promotion on international platforms of the position of BRICS countries on the inadmissibility of using unilateral restrictive measures and the need to observe the immunities of state officials and state property
• Expanded cooperation in the provision of legal services and free legal aid to the population

Konstantin Chuychenko proposed holding the BRICS Justice Ministers’ Meeting on a regular basis to ensure systemic interaction between the ministries.

After his speech, Konstantin Chuychenko invited his foreign colleagues to take part in the 13th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, which will be held in June 2025.

The Roscongress Foundation manages the events of Russia’s BRICS chairmanship.