Representatives of states recognised the inevitability of changes in international relations and declared their readiness to participate in shaping them on an equal footing

The 14th International Meeting of High Representatives Responsible for Security Issues is taking place in the Moscow Region as part of the International Security Forum. Participants – heads of security councils and senior representatives from Russia, China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam – discussed the formation of a multipolar world, strengthening trust between states, and developing common rules for emerging technologies.

The main leitmotif of the meeting was the aspiration of countries of the Global South and East towards equal dialogue and independent development. Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu presented a series of initiatives to strengthen coordination between states, as well as to protect international law.

“In order to strengthen coordination between countries of the Global South and East, the following is important: to comprehensively reinforce the central coordinating role of the United Nations (UN), to support the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations established on Russia’s initiative, and to avoid provoking contradictions, disagreements and confrontation in relations between countries of the Global South and East. […] Of particular importance in the current conditions are the initiatives of the President of the Russian Federation to form a Greater Eurasian Partnership and an architecture of collective security on the Eurasian continent. […] Moscow, for its part, will continue […] to provide partners with assistance through supplies of agricultural products, fertilisers and hydrocarbons and jointly work on the creation of resource reserve pools” – Sergey Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.

In the context of strengthening collective security, Moscow called on partners not to take steps aimed at enhancing their own security at the expense of other states’ security and also to increase foreign policy coordination and cooperation within BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and other organisations of the Global Majority countries.

In this regard, Chen Wenqing, Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC), recalled the initiatives on global development, security, civilisation and governance put forward by President Xi Jinping. Chen Wenqing noted that China consistently advocates multilateralism, respect for international law, and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

“The Global Security Initiative is designed to adapt to the new international architecture through the spirit of solidarity and to counter various traditional and non-traditional security challenges and threats. […] In order to implement President Xi Jinping’s Global Security Initiative and build a community with a shared future for humanity, I have three proposals. First – to ensure peace throughout the world. […] Second – to uphold international law and order. […] Third – to practise multilateralism. […] China is actively working on developing peace initiatives, and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence proposed by China have been incorporated into international documents and have received broad recognition from the international community, making an indelible historical contribution to the progress of humanity,” he said.

Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of India, drew attention to global changes: geopolitical and economic dynamics, rapid development of technology and trade. He supported reform of the UN to make the organisation more representative and effective, and called for unified approaches in combating terrorism.

“Today, power is no longer concentrated in the hands of a few countries or a small group. Emerging market countries are coming to the forefront, and they are ready to take power into their own hands. They are increasing their economic capabilities, demographic capabilities […] And these countries have ambitions; they demand equal participation of all countries, including the Global South, in addressing global issues. And only in this way can we ensure stability and security throughout the world. […] The current geopolitical context is extremely complex, and we are ready to participate in the development and establishment of a multipolar world in which there is no place for double standards and threats to international security,” he stated.

The Minister in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, Khumbudzo Phophi Silence Ntshavheni, stated that the formation of a multipolar world opens new opportunities for countries of the Global South. Pretoria intends not only to modernise the security system and develop artificial intelligence, but also to actively build alternative economic ties.

“South Africa intends to defend its sovereignty; develop capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity; and also strengthen our capacity in ensuring energy security and develop trade partnerships, including by forming an African Continental Free Trade Area” – Khumbudzo Phophi Silence Ntshavheni, South African Minister in the Presidency.

She also noted the need to reconsider the role of international organisations, including the UN. Multipolarity, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni emphasised, does not mean multiple standards. It is African economic integration that should become the foundation of sustainable development of the continent in conditions of global competition.

Addressing the participants of the meeting, Celso Amorim, Special Advisor to the President of Brazil on International Affairs, drew attention to a key bilateral agreement concluded by the republic with China in May 2024 and stated the need to build multipolarity on fundamentally different foundations – without rigid division into spheres of influence.

“In May 2024, Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and I jointly signed a document called ‘Common Understanding’. The document calls for dialogue between parties. We formed a Group of Friends of Peace. The aim is to help implement these initiatives. A new multipolar world must not become a world divided into spheres of influence. A multipolar world should be one in which sovereign states exercise their right to diversify their partnerships, protect their national interests, and participate in processes of sustainable development. I hope that the spirit in which BRICS was formed will help us achieve all of this” – Celso Amorim, Special Advisor to the President of Brazil on International Affairs.

Gizat Nurdauletov, Secretary of the Security Council of Kazakhstan, stated that the national vision of challenges and threats to international security covers four key areas: interstate and economic relations, as well as the natural and digital environment. For each of them, the republic has put forward concrete initiatives and proposals.

“Guarantees of uninterrupted operation and free access [to transport, energy and logistics infrastructure] should become a fundamental element of the new security architecture in conditions of a multipolar world. […] The Head of our State proposed the creation, under the auspices of the UN, of an International Water Security Organisation. Its tasks include monitoring transboundary water basins, supporting water-saving technologies, and facilitating the peaceful resolution of water disputes. […] Kazakhstan supports the formation of universal norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, and strengthening multilateral cooperation in the field of digital security. In fact, we have reached a turning point where artificial intelligence is transforming from an auxiliary digital tool into an active actor,” Gizat Nurdauletov stated.

Concrete proposals on technological cooperation within BRICS were shared by Nushirwan Zainal Abidin, Director-General of Malaysia’s National Security Council, in an exclusive interview with TV BRICS. The International Media Network, an international information partner of the International Security Forum, is conducting interviews with experts in a special studio on the sidelines of the forum.

“There is enormous potential for BRICS countries in using the digital economy to expand trade between us. […] It seems that the world is moving towards a division in high technologies, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. […] However, among BRICS countries there are major technological powers: China, Russia, India, and others. If we can jointly create a common platform, it would significantly facilitate cooperation in the field of AI and, accordingly, the development of the digital world as a whole” – Nushirwan Zainal Abidin, Director-General of Malaysia’s National Security Council.

The International Security Forum will run until 29 May.

African Times published this article in partnership with International Media Network TV BRICS