Anwar urges BRICS to act against unfair global trade practices

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called upon the BRICS nations to take decisive action against unfair global trade practices during his address at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Speaking to the group of developing countries, Anwar highlighted the economic benefits of BRICS, including a combined strength of large markets that offer opportunities for trade diversification.

He emphasized the importance of joint action to dismantle unfair trading practices and stressed the need for sharing expertise and expanding technical cooperation, particularly in emerging fields such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

Anwar also urged BRICS to ensure sustainable financing for developing countries, warning against governments being forced to choose between servicing debts and meeting basic needs. He recognized that countries would adopt different paths in the green transition, depending on their circumstances and development stages. Anwar linked economic prosperity to geopolitical stability, warning that conflicts, such as the one in West Asia, could have far-reaching consequences beyond the directly involved countries.

He stressed that countries with the greatest influence had a responsibility to prevent further escalation.

The Malaysian Prime Minister, during his visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit, emphasized Malaysia's commitment to contributing to BRICS through the principle of strategic autonomy. He expressed hope that Malaysia could offer a unique perspective and stand by its choices in the face of global challenges. The BRICS grouping, originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has since expanded to include a broader coalition of emerging economies, representing nearly half of the world's population and about 40% of global economic output based on purchasing power parity.