🎙 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the Third Plenary Session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting “Reform of Global Governance and the Multilateral System” (New Delhi, May 15, 2026)

 

 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the Third Plenary Session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting “Reform of Global Governance and the Multilateral System” (New Delhi, May 15, 2026)

 The current stage in global affairs is marked by rapid changes and their serious consequences.

The centre of global economic growth and international trade is shifting towards Asia, Africa and Latin America. Regional integration processes are picking up momentum with every passing day.

According to some estimates, countries of the Global South and East accounted for over 45% of global trade volumes; they also account for nearly 60% of the global GDP. These figures will obviously continue to increase.

Objectively speaking, this makes the systemic reformatting of the global economic structure something inevitable, and this facilitates the predictable striving of states of the Global South and East to conduct independent foreign policy by prioritising national interests.

 At the same time, there is a substantial gap between the real distribution of the global economic potential and the level of representation of the #GlobalMajority countries in global governance.

States of the “historic West” continue to dominate key international institutions, including the UN and the Bretton Woods system agencies (that had evolved under a different balance of forces).

 The readjustment of activities of the relevant agencies in accordance with the real correlation of forces should help correct this injustice. This should make the entire international system more effective and eliminate the division lines inside it.

The global financial system should be transparent and non-discriminatory, providing equal access to its opportunities and tools for all participants. It is unacceptable when the G7 which accounts for less than one-third global output continues to determine the policy and practice of Bretton Woods institutions; at the same time, BRICS states which account for about 40% of the global GDP lack comparable influence.

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We staunchly advocate the expanded representation of #GlobalMajority states at the UN Security Council. We reaffirm our support for the striving of Brazil and India to obtain the status of permanent members of the UN Security Council.

At the same time, it is necessary to correct historical injustice with regard to African countries which have clearly formulated their position and consistently uphold it. We see no added value in allocating additional seats to countries of the “collective West” which are over-represented at the UN Security Council, and which continue to claim a monopoly right to determine the global agenda.

A new UN Secretary-General will be elected this year. The replacement of the UN Secretary-General opens up an opportunity, or rather offers a chance to put things in order at the UN.

We are convinced that the future head of the Secretariat should meet a number of criteria. The UN Secretary-General should assume equidistant positions, evaluate the principles of the UN Charter in a non-discriminatory manner, prioritise mandatory or consensus-based decisions and rule out the use of double standards. On the whole, the UN Secretary-General should unfailingly honour the requirements of Article 100 of the UN Charter.

In a broader context, it is necessary to overhaul the Secretariat, including criteria for its establishment. The UN Charter has only one criterion, specifically, a fair geographical representation. This criterion is not respected.

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