BRICS gives greater voice to Global South countries: analysts

As its influence expands, BRICS is giving a greater voice to countries in the Global South, said Brazilian analysts.

The New Development Bank (NDB) was set up by the BRICS and opened in 2015. It aims to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS, and other emerging market economies and developing countries.

Earlier this year, disaster struck southern Brazil as historic flooding destroyed entire cities. After the tragedy, reconstruction was essential, and the NDB, the BRICS Bank, joined the efforts, pledging more than one billion dollars.

Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's former president, who now serves as president of the NDB said in a video message that, the BRICS Bank has a commitment and will work on the reconstruction and recovery of the state's infrastructure. The bank wants to help people rebuild their lives, she said.

Roberto Dumas, an economics professor in Sao Paulo, said the bank plays an important role in the development of multilateralism from a Global South perspective.

"All the institutions that come along with BRICS, such as the New Development Bank, is a kind of organizations from the Global South that want to take a place on the new chessboard," said Dumas.

Since the inception of the BRICS mechanism, openness and inclusiveness have remained its members' abiding commitment. During its summit in August last year in Johannesburg, BRICS nations announced their decision to expand beyond the five founding members - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.   Other than the countries that became new full members on Jan 1, 2024, over 30 countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have either formally applied for or expressed interest in membership.

"We have many leaders of countries that are leaders in their regions and the Global South or the developing world. They need leadership. They need countries to go ahead and speak in their names in multilateral forums," said Jose Freire, a researcher of the BRICS Study Group of the University of Sao Paulo.

Developing nations have made it clear they want to amplify their voices on the global stage, and BRICS leaders seem to believe their group may help rebalance international relations.

BRICS gives greater voice to Global South countries: analysts

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has renewed his urgent call for an end to the Middle East conflict to prevent the worsening global hunger crisis, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press briefing, Haq quoted the UN Chief as saying that amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East, diplomacy must prevail.

He also cited the warnings from UN agencies that the conflict in the Middle East is feared to plunge tens of millions more into food insecurity. "The secretary general asserts once more that the war in the Middle East must stop, diplomacy must prevail, all Security Council resolutions must be implemented. The latest one, Resolution 2817, must be respected as we see that countries in the Gulf continue to be targeted," Haq said.

"And the World Food Program (WFP) is warning today that the total number of people around the world facing acute levels of hunger could reach record numbers in 2026 if the escalation in the Middle East continues to destabilize the world's economy. New analysis by WFP estimates that almost 45 million more people could fall into acute food insecurity or worse if the conflict does not end by the middle of the year, and if oil prices remain above 100 dollars a barrel. These would add to the 318 million people around the world who are already food insecure," he said.

Haq also highlighted the strategic significance of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that the key to restoring its safe and secure operation lies in bringing an end to the conflict.

He said that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would travel to Brussels later on Tuesday for urgent consultations with European officials on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and follow-up safeguard measures.

UN chief renews urgent call for end to Middle East conflict to prevent worsening global hunger crisis