Overview
The BRICS inter-parliamentary dialogue dates back to 2011, when, at the initiative of Brazil, parliamentary representatives of the BRICS countries met on the margins of the second G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit. In the outcome document of the meeting, the parliamentarians noted the necessity to create a permanent consultative forum that would act as a platform for exchange of experience, a framework for improving the work of legislators, and the implementation of adopted agreements in their respective legal systems. Later, in 2013, the idea of the BRICS parliamentary dimension was raised at the meeting of five heads of state in South Africa.
The I BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held in 2015 in Moscow during the Russian BRICS Chairmanship.
Between 2015 and 2023, nine parliamentary meetings were held and organised on a rotating basis. For several years, the forum events were held on the margins of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assemblies (in 2016–2019, 2021) and via videoconference (2020 and 2022). The annual meetings of legislators have become a platform for considering a wide range of issues requiring ”parliamentary support“ for cooperation among ”the Five“: from international security issues, reformation of the global financial system, and the increase in the share of settlements in national currencies to strengthening cooperation in the areas of health care, environment, science, and education.
In addition, the BRICS Parliamentary Forum gave an impulse to new formats of inter-parliamentary cooperation. In 2016 the BRICS Women Parliamentarians Forum was held in Jaipur, India. The BRICS Young Parliamentarians' Forum was held in 2017 and 2020.
I BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Chairmanship: Russian Federation
Place and date: Moscow, 8 June 2015
II BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Chairmanship: Republic of India
Place and date: Geneva, 23 October 2016
III BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Chairmanship: People's Republic of China
Place and date: Saint Petersburg, 14 October 2017
IV BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Chairmanship: Republic of South Africa
Place and date: Geneva, 16 October 2018
V BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Chairmanship: Federative Republic of Brazil
Place and date: Belgrade, 16 October 2019
VI BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Chairmanship: Russian Federation
Place and date: by videoconference, 27 October 2020
VII BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Chairmanship: Republic of India
Place and date: Madrid, 27 November 2021
VIII BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Chairmanship: People's Republic of China
Place and date: by videoconference, 6 September 2022
IX BRICS Parliamentary Forum
Chairmanship: Republic of South Africa
Place and date: Johannesburg, 27–28 September 2023
X BRICS Parliamentary Forum
The X (Anniversary) BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held in Saint Petersburg on 11–12 July within the Russian 2024 BRICS Chairmanship. The main topic of the event is ”The Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security“.
This year the Forum was held in a new expanded format for the first time – parliamentary delegations from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Russia, South Africa and UAE have participated in the event.
Furthermore, sessions in the BRICS Plus/Outreach format were held with the participation of invited heads of parliaments of the Member States of the IPA CIS as well as the President of the IPU Dr. Tulia Ackson.
The address of the President of the Russian Federation Mr. Vladimir Putin to participants and guests has become an outstanding event of the Forum.
The discussions at the Forum focused on strengthening multilateralism in global politics and promoting the common interests of the BRICS countries on the world stage, developing cooperation in the economic, financial and humanitarian spheres.
Following the results of the X BRICS Parliamentary Forum, the Protocol to the Memorandum of Understanding on the BRICS Parliamentary Forum and the Joint Declaration were adopted.