BRICS summit declaration's strong commitment to multilateralism "reassuring": UN chief

New York [US], September 17 (ANI): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the declaration adopted by BRICS nations in New Delhi over the weekend, highlighting its emphasis on collaborative global frameworks.
Addressing a news conference, Guterres stated, "It is important that the BRICS summit produced a common declaration with a strong commitment of all of them to multilateralism and by all of them to the United Nations."
"So, from that point of view, it is reassuring that a large number of the important powers that exist in the world believe that multilateralism is the way to address crises, and that the UN must be at the centre," the UN Chief added.
While noting that not all permanent members of the UN Security Council participated in the summit which he attended, the UN leader emphasised the significance of the major powers present.
The gathering featured Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, both representing permanent member states of the UN Security Council. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the proceedings, alongside Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, representing nations seeking permanent council seats with broad support across the UN membership.
Western nations, including the US, France, and Britain, stayed away from the summit of emerging economies, which advocate for greater influence in international bodies historically dominated by Western powers.
Conversely, the administration of US President Donald Trump has positioned itself against multilateral approaches, favouring unilateral policies aimed at reducing the prominence of the UN and other international bodies. Trump has viewed the BRICS bloc as a challenge to his objective of maintaining a US-led unilateral global power structure.
The 18th BRICS Summit concluded in the national capital with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration 2026 on September 12, emphasising expanded cooperation in global health initiatives and a shared dedication to universal health coverage through resilient and inclusive measures.
"We recognise the significance of continued cooperation among the BRICS members and the necessity of sharing valuable experiences, innovations and best practices for improving health outcomes across the BRICS countries. We reiterate our shared conviction that multilateral cooperation in health must be preserved and reinforced, emphasising the vital coordinating role of the World Health Organisation," the declaration stated. (ANI)