In these autumn days, Russia is becoming the centre of the generation of multifaceted cooperation between BRICS countries. Following the meeting on security issues in St. Petersburg, a week later, another BRICS legal forum on the topic ‘Safeguarding a Just World’ started in Moscow.
The role of law in the process of forming a multipolar world and BRICS
At a time when the countries of the Collective West, led by the United States, are trying to impose their own hegemony and dictatorship on the rest of the world, selectively approach the fundamental norms of international law and periodically violate the basic principles of the UN Charter, the role of strict observance of generally accepted norms of law, laying the foundation for a just world, is increasing in the world. For this reason BRICS countries pay special attention to issues of legal cooperation.
The intensity of BRICS legal forums since 2014 indicates that members of the international association are very responsible vis-à-vis the process of the emergence of a multipolar world, where legal issues acquire scientifically based and time-demanded relations.
The current forum was held at MGIMO University and the Kutafin Moscow State Law University with the organisational support of the Russian Federal Bar Association, which was attended by about 1,000 representatives of BRICS countries.
The main goals and objectives of the BRICS Legal Forum were:
– strengthening legal cooperation between the members of the association;
– development of professional and scientific exchange between lawyers;
– promotion of ‘legal diplomacy’;
– harmonisation of the legal systems of BRICS countries;
– assistance in building the capacity of BRICS countries.
Within the framework of this forum, an expanded plenary session and more than 15 thematic panel discussions were held with the signing of the final declaration. The delegations of the forum participants included well-known legal scholars, practitioners and young lawyers. As a result of such a forum, important statements and declarations are adopted reflecting the results of discussions on topical issues of legal cooperation. This event allows for the exchange of experience on issues of legal education, legal support for technological advances (for example, digitalisation and informatisation of society), settlement of commercial disputes, protection of the rights of certain categories of the population, development of national and international legislation, etc.
Appeals and proposals at the IX BRICS Legal Forum
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the participants of the forum with a welcoming address, which was read out by the Chairman of the Association of Lawyers of Russia S. V. Stepashin. Vladimir Putin’s greeting noted: “The demand for direct informal communication between reputable legal scholars and practicing lawyers from BRICS countries is growing more and more, especially taking into account the expansion of the association. The theme of the current forum – ‘Safeguarding a Just World’ – is fully in tune with the priorities of the Russian presidency in BRICS and, undoubtedly, meets the general mood of the participating countries to strive for the formation of a truly democratic multipolar world order based on clear and binding legal norms for all”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov drew the attention of the forum participants to our country’s firm commitment to the principles of the UN Charter and the need to “respect universally recognised norms” as the basis for the formation of a more just world order, “taking into account the cultural and civilizational diversity of the peoples of the world, their right to control their own destiny”.
Unfortunately, as Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov noted, today the world is faced with the phenomenon of ‘legal warfare’, when the norms of international law and international judicial institutions are used by Western countries as an instrument of pressure on other states and promoting their own ambitions to the detriment of the interests of others.
The speech by the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation, Konstantin Chuychenko, reflected promising directions for the development of the BRICS legal space, ensuring citizens’ access to legal information from the countries of the association, the convergence of legal systems, the development of mechanisms for international legal assistance and dispute resolution, as well as other forms of cooperation in the field of justice.
Participants of the plenary session and panel discussions drew highlighted the development of legal education, the development of joint educational programmes, the creation of a subject rating of law schools in BRICS countries and the expansion of interparliamentary cooperation to ensure a balance of interests.
Guo Weilu, professor at the East China University of Political Science and Law, supported the idea of developing legal theories and practices in the process of cooperation between BRICS countries and training high-quality personnel.
Jing Hanchao, Vice President of the China Law Society, rightly believes that the rule of law is the foundation for building constructive cooperation relations between BRICS countries. He also drew the attention of his colleagues to legal assistance within the scope of the economic development of the countries of the association, the joint solution of problems in the field of environment and climate, as well as the creation of effective legal mechanisms.
The representative of Iran, the head of the Centre of Lawyers, Official Experts and Family Advisers of the Judiciary Hassan Andolianpour, proposed to create a single digital platform and a single centre for interaction between BRICS countries in international law and law schools to exchange experience.
The President of the Indian Bar Association, Kumar Prashant, took the initiative to establish institutions within the framework of BRICS to resolve economic disputes and develop a roadmap for legal cooperation between the countries of the association.
Summing up the forum, Sergey Stepashin stressed: “Our ideas and initiatives are very important for BRICS countries. We will continue to study and improve the legal issues of our association in the field of investment protection, expansion of economic cooperation, combating cybercrime and financial terrorism, education and science, intellectual property and other areas”.
The final event of the forum was the signing of the II Moscow Declaration of BRICS countries. In it, heads of delegations consolidated the joint intentions of the parties in the field of legal cooperation. A unanimous decision was made to hold the X BRICS Legal Forum in 2025 in Brazil.
Thus, the BRICS Legal Forum took place in an atmosphere of mutual respect, freedom of opinion and high professionalism. Of course, the results of this event will be the development of effective legal cooperation between the countries of the association, strengthening professional and scientific exchange of experience and harmonisation of national legislation.
Alexander Svarants – PhD of Political Science, Professor, especially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”
