BRICS ministers urge fairer trade, stronger WTO rules
BRICS foreign ministers called for a more predictable global trade system, warning that unilateral restrictions, sanctions and tariff measures can disrupt supply chains and affect developing economies, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The position was outlined in the Chair’s Statement and Outcome Document adopted after the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held in New Delhi on May 14-15 under India’s 2026 chairmanship.
The ministers reaffirmed their support for a non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its core. They said WTO reform should preserve key principles, including Most Favored Nation treatment and special and differential treatment for developing countries and least developed countries.
The statement said BRICS countries would remain engaged in multilateral negotiations in Geneva, including discussions on WTO reform. The ministers also pointed to the BRICS Informal Consultative Framework as a platform for discussing challenges facing the WTO and possible ways to address them.
A central issue in the document is the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. The ministers called for the restoration of an accessible, effective and fully functioning two-tier binding system, including the appointment of new appellate body members without further delay. They said such a mechanism is important for trust and predictability in global trade.
The ministers also voiced concern over rising tariff and non-tariff measures, as well as protectionism carried out under environmental or other policy grounds. According to the statement, such measures can reduce global trade, disrupt supply chains and create uncertainty for international economic activity.
The document also addressed unilateral coercive measures, including economic and secondary sanctions not authorized by the UN Security Council. The ministers said such measures can have negative consequences for development, health, food security and vulnerable groups in targeted states.
BRICS ministers also emphasized the need for more resilient, reliable and stable supply chains. They said developing economies should have broader opportunities to participate in higher value-added segments of global manufacturing and production through trade and investment initiatives, industrial cooperation and technology transfer on mutually agreed terms.
The statement also referred to efforts to facilitate faster, lower-cost, more accessible and safer cross-border payments among BRICS countries and other nations. The ministers encouraged continued discussions on the BRICS cross-border payments initiative and on strengthening BRICS reinsurance capacity.
The ministers said these areas of cooperation are aimed at supporting trade and investment flows, reducing the impact of economic disruptions and giving emerging markets and developing countries a stronger role in the global economy.
