1. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa met on 1 June 2021 in via Video Conferencing. On the landmark occasion of the 15th anniversary of BRICS, the Ministers espoused their shared values of peace, freedom and rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy as well as a more fair, just, inclusive, equitable and representative multipolar international system, based on international law and the UN Charter, in particular sovereign equality of all States, respect for their territorial integrity and mutual respect for interests and concerns of all.
2. The Ministers noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has, over the past year and a half, manifested itself as one of the most serious global challenges in recent history, wreaking immeasurable political, economic and social damage, and thereby reminding us that in an intertwined world, truly effective and representative multilateralism is no longer an abstract ideal to be evoked in matters of war and peace alone, but an essential tool for ensuring successful governance of matters of everyday life and promoting well-being of people and a sustainable future for the planet. The Ministers reaffirmed that only together could the international community build resilience against future pandemics and other global challenges.
3. The Ministers agreed that the 15th anniversary of BRICS, following soon after the 75th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations and the end of the Second World War in 2020, and the unprecedented fury of the pandemic provide important context for joint efforts aimed at strengthening and reforming the multilateral system to make it more resilient, efficient, effective, transparent and representative.
4. The Ministers reiterated their commitment to multilateralism through upholding international law, including the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations as its indispensable cornerstone, and to the central role of the United Nations in an international system in which sovereign States cooperate to maintain peace and security, advance sustainable development, ensure the promotion and protection of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all with the aim to build a brighter shared future for the international community based on mutually beneficial cooperation. They reaffirmed the principles of non-intervention in the internal affairs of States and the resolution of international disputes by peaceful means and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law as well as the inadmissibility of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations. They stressed further the imperative of refraining from any coercive measures not based on international law and the UN Charter.
Read More at https://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl%2F33888%2FBRICS_Joint_Statement_on_Strengthening_and_Reforming_the_Multilateral_System