X BRICS Parliamentary Forum to Take Place at Tavricheskiy Palace with Participation of CIS Parliamentary Organizations

The Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation hosted the second working meeting of chairs of committees on international affairs of the BRICS parliaments. The participants discussed possible issues on the agenda of the X BRICS Parliamentary Forum to be held in St. Petersburg from 11 to 12 July this year, its program and format.

Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Konstantin Kosachev put forward a proposal to appoint specific representatives from each BRICS country responsible for working together on the agenda of the Forum and draft final decisions.

Moderator of the meeting, Chair of the Committee of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on International Affairs Grigory Karasin outlined proposals for the work program of the upcoming Forum. The Federation Council reported that the X BRICS Parliamentary Forum would be held on 10-12 July in St. Petersburg in a new expanded format with the participation of the heads of parliaments of the BRICS member countries, as well as representatives of international and regional parliamentary organizations of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Grigory Karasin said that the discussions at the Forum would be devoted to strengthening multilateral principles in global politics and promoting the common interests of the BRICS countries on international platforms, developing cooperation in the economic and financial fields and cooperation in the humanitarian sphere.

An initiative was also launched to meet young parliamentarians from the BRICS member countries and actively involve women parliamentarians in the work.

The chairs of committees on international affairs of the BRICS parliaments supported the proposals and put forward their initiatives related to strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation within the framework of the BRICS.

On 11 April, Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko held a meeting with the chairs of committees on international affairs of the BRICS parliaments — Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia.

The Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation stressed that there is no place for domination in the Association, the desire to impose one’s will on others. That was why it had become a center of attraction for many states that seek to pursue a sovereign foreign policy course.

Also on 11 April, Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin held a meeting with the chairs of committees on international affairs of the BRICS parliaments.

The Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation noted that an important area of cooperation with the BRICS countries should be the exchange of legislative practice in such areas as security, the fight against terrorism, energy development, tourism, environmental protection and a number of others.