BRICS Foreign Ministers Hold Virtual Meeting, Discuss COVID-19 Challenge

The meeting was attended by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, minister of international relations of South Africa Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor and Brazilian foreign minister Carlos Alberto Franco.

The BRICS grouping strives for a just, inclusive and equitable multipolar international system that recognises the sovereign equality of all states and respects their territorial integrity, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday at a virtual meeting of the five-nation grouping that extensively focussed on combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was attended by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, minister of international relations of South Africa Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor and Brazilian foreign minister Carlos Alberto Franco. In his opening remarks, Mr Jaishankar said the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) has come a long way from the first time its foreign ministers met in New York in 2006 but the principles that guide the grouping remained consistent over the years. "We strive for a fair, just, inclusive, equitable and representative multipolar international system. It is one based on international law and the UN Charter, that recognizes the sovereign equality of all States, and respects their territorial integrity while displaying mutual respect for interests and concerns of all," he said.