Photo: @BrunoRguezP

Kazan, October 25 (RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez says that the BRICS member countries represent a real hope for the nations of the South.

In his speech at the plenary session of the expanded format of the XVI BRICS Plus Summit, held in the Russian city of Kazan since October 22nd, the foreign minister recognized the political, economic and demographic weight of the bloc in the current era of consolidation of the new multipolar world order.

“The BRICS have emerged as a key player of growing relevance, authority and leadership on the global geopolitical stage and a real hope for the countries of the South in their complex path towards achieving a more just, democratic, equitable and sustainable international order,” he said.

From this platform, we reiterate Cuba's strong rejection of any attempt to impose what has been called a “rules-based” international order, an alternative to International Law, on whose norms and principles international relations are based, Rodríguez stressed.

The head of Cuban diplomacy argued that the Caribbean nation appreciates the group's contribution on the path towards the urgent and profound reform of the international financial system, which is obsolete, unjust, speculative and exclusive.

In this regard, he acknowledged that the New Development Bank of the BRICS plays an increasingly decisive role, as an important alternative for the nations of the South, in order to access financial resources under fairer conditions.

“By implementing the broad-based foreign currency reserve mechanism and establishing credit lines in local currencies, the BRICS are contributing to the formation of a new, necessary and inclusive international financial architecture,” he added.

In this regard, he assured that the extension of the alliance's mechanisms to other countries would contribute to alleviating the effects of the current unfair and unbalanced international monetary system.

Likewise, Rodriguez said that the expansion of the BRICS' financial concepts would help reduce the influence of the US dollar, “frequently used as an instrument of pressure that has a very negative impact on the quality of life of many of our people.”

The foreign minister reiterated that Cuba shares similar views to those expressed in the declaration of this XVI Summit of the BRICS, in Kazan, as well as those contained in the Joint Communiqué of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of June 2024.

Rodríguez confirmed Havana's willingness to deepen the path in the search not only for cooperation and mutual benefits, but also to join, as formally requested from the Russian Federation in its capacity as pro tempore president of the group, as a Partner Country, for which it hopes to have the support of all the States parties.

The Foreign Minister specified that at this meeting his country also came to share and make available to those present its experiences and results in diverse spheres such as the biomedical pharmaceutical industry, health, education; and science and innovation.

“Considered the Key to the Gulf, due to its strategic position in the Caribbean Sea, Cuba can facilitate the access of the BRICS countries to important markets in Latin America and the Caribbean and establish strategic partnerships for the benefit of our countries,” he emphasized.

Kazan, capital of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, is hosting the XVI BRICS Summit until October 24, a space where more than 20 thousand participants from 36 countries, including 22 heads of State or Government, will meet.

This year, the debates at the event were focused on strengthening multilateralism for fair global development and security. (PL)