Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – On 17 November 2020, under the chairmanship of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the format of a video conference, the 12th summit of the member states of the BRICS group, an informal interstate association, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, took place.

I. During the forum, the leaders of the member states of the organization exchanged views on the state and prospects of five-sided cooperation, summed up the results of the Russian chairmanship in BRICS this year, considered topical issues on the international agenda and compared positions in connection with the upcoming G20 summit on 21-22 November.

The theme of strengthening the collective potential to combat the growing epidemiological threat, which remains the main problem for the international community, took center stage on the forum’s agenda.

In particular, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for uniting efforts for the mass production of vaccines against COVID-19 and accelerating the formation of a common Center for the Development and Research of Vaccines, announcing that there are agreements with pharmaceutical companies in China and India to open centers for the mass production of the Russian drug - Sputnik-V.

He also noted the demand against the background of the current crisis for the work of the BRICS New Development Bank, which, according to him, has already reserved US$10 billion for the fight against the pandemic.

In turn, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed holding a BRICS symposium on traditional medicine and its capabilities in the fight against infection, and also opposed the politicization of issues related to confronting the coronavirus.

Other members of the group also pointed out the need to strengthen cooperation in the fight against the pandemic. In particular, Indian Prime Minister N. Modi announced the country’s readiness to expand cooperation in the field of digital medicine through the introduction of a number of indulgences in the field of intellectual property in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.

Issues of global and regional security were also discussed during the meeting. Countries expressed collective concern about the world’s rise in information technology crime, highlighting the importance of developing international legal frameworks to combat cybercrime.

The leaders spoke in favor of strengthening cooperation in the fight against international terrorism. N. Modi dwelled on this topic separately. He called for the prosecution of countries that support terrorist organizations. For his part, V. Putin stated that there are signs of dangerous destabilization in the Middle East.

The topic of transformation of international organizations and institutions was also touched upon. Indian Prime Minister N. Modi and South African President S. Ramaphoza declared the need to adapt the UN Security Council to today’s reality by ensuring broad representation in it of the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and the idea of carrying out the long-overdue reform of the WTO was supported by all states of the group.

At the same time, the Chinese leader drew the attention of the summit participants to the problem of interference in the internal affairs of other states. He opposed unilateral sanctions and accused individual countries of using the pandemic to push the world towards "de-globalization."

As a result of the summit, 3 strategic documents were adopted - the Moscow Declaration, the Anti-Terrorism Strategy and the Strategy for Economic Partnership for the Period until 2025.

II. Commenting on the meeting, observers of Russian and Chinese publications consider the intense negotiations a confirmation of the mutual desire of the BRICS members to build a "structure of mutual support" against the backdrop of the pandemic.

In particular, the Chinese edition of the Global Times notes that at present there is no union in the world that has not been tested by the “coronacrisis”. At the same time, tensions are escalating in relations between economic giants and contenders for geopolitical leadership.

"In these conditions, the BRICS member states, which account for 31% of world production, have firmly endured not only the pandemic, but also its consequences." This was confirmed by the numerous initiatives that the members of the group presented during this meeting.

A number of Russian publications agree with this statement (Izvestia, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Eadaily). According to them, the Five, in contrast to the G7 group, formed during the Cold War and serving as a tool to increase the influence of the West in the world, “looks better” and continues to adhere to the ideas of equality and the goals proclaimed in the UN Charter.

A similar opinion is expressed by experts from the Valdai Club brain trust. According to the Center, at the time of the crisis caused by the coronavirus, the five members are not playing a game of "who is to blame" and are not guided by "selfish aspirations", but are seeking to expand cooperation in the health sector, including in the production of vaccines, in order to make it publicly available. This is an area that can bring the BRICS countries closer together.

At the same time, observers from Indian and Western publications make critical assessments, focusing on the problems that hinder the potential of BRICS cooperation.

In particular, according to Figaro, when the association was created in 2006, many experts expected that the participating countries would become the main "drivers" of the world economy. However, only China has coped with this task so far. Moreover, the economic problems of other countries of the "five" have deepened even more during the "coronacrisis".

According to the IMF forecast, China is the only member of the group capable of demonstrating positive growth dynamics (+ 1.9%) by the end of this year, while the rest of the countries are expected to fall in GDP: RF (-4.2%), Brazil (-5.8%), South Africa (-8%), India (-10.3%).

At the same time, the Times indicates the desire of Russia and the PRC to turn the BRICS into a "tool to resist the US dictatorship," and their mutual goals - to strengthen cooperation within the group - are seen as another reflection of the joint search by the two countries to "counterbalance" pro-Western institutions.

A similar point of view is shared by CNN observers, who noted that Beijing and Moscow are trying to enhance the international role of the BRICS so that the group serves as a "barrier" against political and economic pressure from Washington and its allies.

However, according to Politico, the persistence of a "high degree" of tension in India-China relations casts doubt on the ability of the "five" to act as a "united front" in the face of global threats and may even question the very existence of the BRICS.

Taking this into account, Indian publications (Times of India, India Strategic) consider it unlikely that New Delhi will support the active role of the “five” in the confrontation with the West.

In general, the next BRICS summit demonstrates the intention of the world’s largest developing economies to advocate multilateralism and "convert" the accumulated potential of cooperation into a joint struggle against global problems.