Political and economic author, specializing in international relations.
As soon as the "BRICS 2024 Summit" in the Russian Republic of Tatarstan concluded on October 24, the file was closed. The summit, attended by most of the group’s leaders except for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, did not introduce any new initiatives or take effective decisions. It was limited to announcing decisions without discussing their implementation mechanisms.
The group at this summit resembled the "United Nations General Assembly”, which includes all the world’s nations and issues recommendations without having an "executive arm” to enforce decisions, due to the deep-seated contradictions among the group’s countries.
Contradictions Prevent Progress
These contradictions hinder in-depth discussions, so most of the group's work is limited to recommendations and finding points of intersection in political and economic matters. Observers can easily notice that the "active BRICS” members are only Russia and China, while other countries in the group have so far joined mainly to seek investment and economic opportunities.
While China views the group as a "family” that will help it transition from unipolarity to a multipolar world, Russia sees BRICS as an opportunity to create a "platform” through which it can break international isolation and counter the impact of Western sanctions imposed on it after the Ukraine war.
However, contradictions exist among the group’s countries, such as:
- China and India, due to longstanding border disputes and competition to be the world’s "number 2” economy.
- Egypt and Ethiopia, over the vital Grand Renaissance Dam and Cairo's sense of encirclement by Addis Ababa's alliance with Israel.
- The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, due to disagreements on various regional issues and differing perspectives on Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon, and other files.
Recommendations and Similarities with the General Assembly
At the Kazan summit, BRICS announced a series of recommendations in its closing statement, which wasn’t released until the final day (the leaders’ summit day). The first two days (October 21-22) consisted only of diplomatic movements without specific goals or prospects, a fatal weakness of the summit.
The main recommendations were as follows:
- The BRICS summit called for a comprehensive reform of the "United Nations” to enhance its democracy, representation, and effectiveness. The group views the UN as a cornerstone of the multipolar world it aspires to, making it a crucial entry point to restore "multipolarity” through the veto power in the Security Council.
- It condemned terrorist attacks on cross-border energy infrastructure (Nord Stream 2 between Russia and Germany) and called for an impartial investigation to reveal those involved. This issue is of particular interest to Russia, which hopes the investigation will help restore relations with Europe, especially if it reveals involvement by the United States, Ukraine, or even Western entities in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline explosion.
- Russia, along with other BRICS countries, expressed opposition to unilateral sanctions, which it believes violate the principles and foundations of the UN.
- The group recommended exploring the possibility of establishing an independent "cross-border financial payments system”, a demand that would benefit all, especially in trade operations far removed from the West and thus from the U.S. dollar and the euro.
- It agreed to transform the "New Development Bank” into a multilateral development bank for emerging markets, aiming to create a new institution capable of challenging the IMF and World Bank, which it views as Western institutions controlling the Global South and infringing on its sovereignty through the fund's conditions and recommendations.
The group also welcomed the establishment of a new investment platform using the New Development Bank’s infrastructure, stressing the need to reform the current international financial structure to resolve financial issues.
- It called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages without preconditions. It also condemned Israeli attacks on civilian, humanitarian, and infrastructure sites in Palestine and supported Palestine's membership in the United Nations, within the 1967 borders. Additionally, it expressed concern over conflicts in various regions worldwide and openly committed to resolving these conflicts peacefully and eliminating their root causes.
- It showed strong support for Russia's initiative to establish a "Grain Exchange”, capable of covering other agricultural sectors in the future. Over the past decade, Russia has become the largest grain exporter and has been developing genetically modified grains. It now owns a massive genetic seed bank (among the top five globally) and is betting on its agricultural capabilities and fertile lands to dominate this field globally.
Preparations... and Saudi Arabia’s Absence
The above concerns the substance, but in terms of organization, preparations for the Kazan summit were marked by meticulous organization. Russia demonstrated a high level of accuracy in organization, with strict security measures that did not disrupt attendees' comfort. Police were stationed along the streets even before the summit began, and military forces were deployed in the woods and forests.
The choice of Kazan in the Republic of Tatarstan served several purposes, including:
- A location far from the confrontations with Ukraine and NATO, aiming to protect the summit from any security or sabotage threats.
- Showcasing the "cultural diversity in the Russian Federation”, as Kazan, the capital of the Muslim-majority Republic of Tatarstan, includes both Christian Russians and Muslim Tatars. This diversity was clearly visible in this beautiful city.
A Strong Arab Presence... on the Last Day
During the first two days of the summit, the Arab presence was quite minimal. Arab journalists did not attend in large numbers, except for those already based in Russia. However, as Arab leaders began to arrive, Arab journalists also began to arrive with the leaders in the designated halls.
Even the salons for Arab and foreign countries were mostly empty, except for the Iranian platform, which was present but did not receive anyone. It is said that there were changes in the work programs at the summit, but no one knew the nature of these changes or why delegations did not meet journalists or hold discussions with them.
There was also an "unspoken disappointment with Saudi Arabia” for the absence of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was represented by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on the last day for only a few hours. Notably, the Saudi embassy’s protocol team had been present and prepared the location, as if the crown prince would attend, without confirming or denying it.
Chinese Media Presence Dominated the Summit
Chinese media presence was the most prominent at the summit, with about 700 Chinese journalists attending as part of the delegation accompanying the president. Their trips were funded by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, though this was not officially announced. There was notable Chinese interest in the political situation in the Middle East, as Beijing, through its delegations, sought to include clauses in the final statement calling for an end to conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.