10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum Held in St. Petersburg

The 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held in St. Petersburg on 11–12 July. The event was attended by Russian Senators and members of the State Duma headed by the Chair of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko and the Chair of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, as well as high-ranking BRICS parliamentarians. The theme of the Forum was ‘The Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security’. President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin welcomed participants during the plenary session.

The programme of events included a plenary session dedicated to the development of inter-parliamentary co-operation between BRICS countries and partners. Heads of delegation discussed the role of parliaments in ensuring the effectiveness and democratic nature of international relations, in countering the fragmentation of the multilateral trading system and overcoming threats resulting from global crises, as well as humanitarian and cultural co-operation. The expanded sessions were attended by delegations from CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly member states, as well as the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania Tulia Ackson.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke during the plenary session, welcoming delegates and noting the importance of BRICS parliaments in contributing to a world order where power is properly balanced in a new geopolitical, economic, and demographic reality. “The theme of this Forum is extremely important. It speaks for itself and underlines the nature of the fundamental global transformations happening today. Your open discussions and contacts between nations align fully with the philosophy and principles of our association’s world view, which is based on consideration of each other’s best interests, democracy in international relations, respect for sovereignty, and the right to follow their own development path. These are the principles of BRICS, and they are easy for all of us to understand as we grow rapidly and influence the world like never before,” Vladimir Putin said.

Federation Council Chair Valentina Matvienko kicked off the working discussion by emphasizing that the Forum was being held for the first time with participation of BRICS new members: “The nature of this format provides a good opportunity for focused, in-depth discussion of topical issues between national parliaments within BRICS.” According to Valentina Matvienko, BRICS has enormous potential and is firmly established as one of the pillars of the modern world order. BRICS is a dynamically developing mechanism for co-operation based on mutual respect, equality, openness, and consensus.

Valentina Matvienko added that the heads of parliaments of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly member states and the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will also take part in the expanded discussion of the agenda. “The BRICS Parliamentary Forum is a vivid example of unity, support, and unhindered multilateral dialogue. It is a testament to the importance of parliamentary diplomacy to interstate relations,” she said.

Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin spoke during the plenary session about the way BRICS was set apart by a willingness to build relations on equal and mutually beneficial terms to improve quality of life in each member state. In this regard, he said, it is important to work more actively within the parliamentary framework to implement the decisions of country leaders and bring cooperation to a new level by maintaining a constant dialogue.

“Our inter-parliamentary co-operation also focuses on energy and science and new technologies like artificial intelligence. We ought to be exchanging legislative experience in these areas. Educational programmes and shared scientific centres will make BRICS economies more efficient,” Vyacheslav Volodin added.

The 10th Parliamentary Forum was attended by Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Zhao Leji, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Egypt Hanafy El Gebaly, Speaker of the House of Federation of Ethiopia Agegnehu Teshager, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, First Vice President of the Federal Senate of the National Congress of Brazil Veneziano Vital do Rêgo Segundo Neto, and Chairman of the Defense, Interior & Foreign Affairs Committee of the UAE Federal National Council Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Zhao Leji, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania Tulia Ackson.

The 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum wrapped up with the signing of the Protocol to the Memorandum of Understanding on the BRICS Parliamentary Forum and the adoption of a Joint Declaration.