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10th BRICS Summit took place in Johannesburg on 25–27 July. There has been considerable qualitative and, which is more important, quantitative growth in the activities of the organization over last years. As BRICS moves into its second decade, the Five has evolved from "hobby club" into full-format multidisciplinary strategic partnership mechanism.
BRICS is a significant and positive example of multilateral and collective fundamentals in world affairs. Diverse in cultural and civilizational aspects, the countries build relations based on sovereign equality, respect of each other's interests, set of public policies addressing common problems. They conduct coordination in UN and other international and regional platforms on a wide range of issues, keeping consolidated approach to pluralism in global governance regime.
BRICS countries follow indivisibility of security principles, collective methods of setting up conflicts using political and diplomatic measurements based on the international law and the central role of the UN. They mark unacceptability of double standards, military interventions and one-sided economic sanctions.
Showing concurrent estimation of the present world economy and finance, BRICS countries jointly search new sources of economic growth. They strengthen cooperation within transparent multilateral institutions, interacting at the IMF, G20, and the WTO, advocating for the principles of an open, non-discriminatory, inclusive and mutually beneficial trade architecture with the WTO’s role as the only universal platform for drafting rules of global trade. New Development Bank and Contingent Reserve Arrangement were launched in 2015 with a total capital of 200 billion US Dollars. These mechanisms are are designed to promote modernisation of the global governance and financial security systems. BRICS countries continue to work together on the implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development for the period until the year 2030, and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
BRICS countries are developing plurilateral dialogue at the level of MFAs. Regular meetings of Ministers of Foreign Affairs prove closeness or even "one-door" approach at maintaining international peace and security. This applies to both issues of international conflicts settlement, including those in Syria, the Middle East, Afghanistan and Africa as well as counteracting new challenges and threats, primarily international terrorism. The Big Five confirms unacceptability of the militarization of outer space, and supports efforts to make additional international agreements to prevent space arms race. It also increases its engagement with improving security in the field of information-communication technologies (ICT) and preventing using ICT for criminal and terrorist purposes. There are significant steps made in order to fight corruption and drug threat.
The humanitarian direction of the Five strategic partnership is dynamically moving forward. BRICS countries work on implementation of the Agreement between the Governments of the BRICS States on Cooperation in the Field of Culture and the Action Plan on the promotion of practical cultural cooperation. In 2017 four alliances were established under the auspices of BRICS: libraries, museums, art museums and national galleries, as well as children and youth theaters.
The inter-parliamentary links are actively developing within BRICS. The Academic Forum, the Forum of Young Diplomats, the Forum of Civil Society Organizations, the Media Forum and the Film Festival of the BRICS Countries are conducted on an annual basis.
The “BRICS Plus” concept was adopted at the BRICS Summit in Xiamen (China) in September, 2017. This model aims to expand the circle of friends of the Five, confirming the BRICS States' openness to the outside world, its readiness to extend partnership with interested countries and their associates.
Source: Russian Embassy in Australia
