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Media Statement

13th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission Meeting

New York, September 26th, 2025

1. The Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E. Amb. Mauro Vieira, and the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Ms. Sindisiwe Chikunga, (hereinafter referred to as "the Ministers") held a meeting on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United National General Assembly on 26 September, in New York.
2. The Ministers recalled that IBSA was created to promote coordination on global issues between three large pluralistic, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic democracies of Asia, South America and Africa, and to enhance trilateral cooperation in sectoral areas, providing a new and broader framework of South-South Cooperation. They underscored the importance of IBSA's principles, norms, and values, including reformed multilateralism, participatory democracy, respect for and the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, unwavering commitment to international humanitarian law, sovereign equality, territorial integrity, peaceful negotiation, diplomacy, freedom, the primacy of international law and sustainable development. They reaffirmed the strategic significance of IBSA in safeguarding and advancing the interests of the Global South on the global stage, including at the multilateral and plurilateral bodies.
3. The Ministers reaffirmed that the fight against poverty and hunger, a long-standing area of cooperation among IBSA countries, remains a priority, and that international cooperation should play a significant role in ensuring food and nutritional security in the countries of the Global South. Over the past two decades, the India, Brazil, and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation (IBSA Fund) has supported developing countries, generating positive impacts for their populations, especially those afflicted by poverty, hunger, inequality, and various vulnerabilities. The Ministers agreed to strengthen, expand and promote the IBSA Fund, an internationally recognized initiative of South-South cooperation, with 51 projects in 40 countries. They recalled the Deccan High Level Principles for Food Security and Nutrition adopted at the G20 New Delhi Declaration 2023 and welcomed the formal launch of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty during the G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024 and noted that all three IBSA countries are actively engaged in this collective effort. They encouraged closer alignment between the Fund and the Global Alliance in support of South-owned, South-led, demand-driven initiatives under national ownership. They noted that South Africa in the context of its G20 Presidency has commissioned an Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Wealth Inequality.
4. Expressing their growing concern over persistent attacks against multilateralism and grave violations of the UN Charter and international law, the Ministers reiterated their firm rejection of the use or threat of use of force against the territorial integrity or the political independence of any State, as well as their repudiation of the unlawful and illegitimate imposition of unilateral coercive measures, which have a negative impact on the socio-economic development. In this regard, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitments to safeguarding the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, upholding international law and strengthening multilateralism as the necessary foundations of a just, peaceful and prosperous international community.
5. The Ministers once again voiced their steadfast support for an urgent and comprehensive reform of global governance institutions, increasing meaningful participation of developing and least-developed countries in their decision-making bodies, processes, and structures, thus building a more representative, more legitimate, and more effective multilateral system with the United Nations at its center. They further emphasized the urgent need to achieve equitable and inclusive geographical representation, as well as due gender balance, in the staff composition of the Secretariat of the United Nations and other international organizations in a timely manner.
6. In light of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, the Ministers called for an ambitious, comprehensive and profound reform of the United Nations, particularly the UN Security Council, including the convening of a review conference, in accordance with article 109 of the Charter, to adapt it to contemporary geopolitical realities and address new global challenges, such as climate change, socio-economic inequality, the energy transition, digitalization and other emerging issues affecting the international community.
7. In the framework of this reform, the Ministers emphasized the need to strengthen the role and authority of the General Assembly as the main deliberative, policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including on issues related to the maintenance of international peace and security, ensuring that Security Council inaction does not paralyze UN efforts.
8. The Ministers also expressed their support for a transformative reform of the Security Council, making it more democratic, representative, more legitimate efficient and more effective, and reflective of contemporary geopolitical realities, with increased participation, in both the permanent and non-permanent membership categories, of developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America. They voiced their support for the legitimate aspiration of African countries to have a permanent presence in the UNSC, as well as for Brazil's and India's legitimate aspirations to occupy permanent seats in the Security Council.
9. In this context, the Ministers expressed once again frustration with the paralysis observed at the Inter-Governmental Negotiations on UN Security Council reform, which have so far failed to produce a consolidated model for discussions as mandated in the Pact for the Future. While recalling that this consolidated model must reflect the support expressed by a significant majority of UN member states for an expansion in both categories of Security Council membership, they stressed that the time has come to move towards a result-oriented process and urged the redoubling of efforts to achieve concrete outcomes within a fixed time frame on this issue through the commencement of text-based negotiations, based on a consolidated model, in a formal setting, during the 80th UNGA, with a view to an early comprehensive reform of the Security Council.
10. The Ministers noted with concern the escalation of geopolitical tensions and the increasing number of conflicts in various parts of the world and emphasized the urgency of re-engaging in the pursuit of peace, in contrast to divisive narratives that only serve to reinforce the current scenario of fragmentation and geopolitical polarization. They stressed the need for valuing dialogue and diplomacy as a primary instrument for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and the need for strengthening tools for conflict prevention, such as mediation and negotiation.
11. The Ministers underscored the importance of the Peacebuilding Commission in bringing a strategic approach and coherence to international peacebuilding efforts. They encouraged the mobilization of financial resources for the implementation of peacebuilding activities and acknowledged that the role of the Peacebuilding Commission can be further enhanced to effectively support national, regional and international peacebuilding efforts, including on conflict prevention.
12. In light of the 25th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), they reiterated their commitment to the full implementation and advancement of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS). They emphasized the importance of ensuring the full, equal, safe, and meaningful participation of women in decision-making processes at all levels of peace and security efforts-including conflict prevention and resolution, humanitarian assistance, mediation, peace operations, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconstruction and development.
13. The Ministers expressed grave concern regarding the serious humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts and protracted humanitarian crises worldwide. They condemned attacks directed against civilians and civilian objects and recalled the obligations of all parties to conflicts to allow and facilitate full, safe, predictable and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to all those in need. They expressed support to the Global Initiative to Galvanize Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law, launched during the 79th UN General Assembly in September 2024, and to convening the 2026 Global Meeting to Uphold Humanity in War.
14. The Ministers stated their concern regarding the conflict in Ukraine. They called on all actors involved to promote de-escalation and to foster direct dialogue, so as to reach a possible peace, in harmony with international law and multilateralism. They stressed actors from the Global South may have relevant contributions to offer and noted with appreciation relevant proposals of mediation and good offices, including the creation of the African Peace Initiative and the Group of Friends for Peace, aimed at the peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
15. The Ministers expressed grave concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and strongly condemned the Israeli attacks against Gaza, which, after almost two years, continue to cause unprecedented suffering to the civilian population of the territory, ravaged by deaths, destruction, forced displacement, and famine. They called for adherence to international law, in particular to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and deplored all violations of IHL, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare. They reiterated their calls for a permanent ceasefire, leading to the cessation of Israeli attacks, the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory, the release of remaining hostages, and unhindered access and delivery of humanitarian aid, at scale. They stressed the urgent need for the beginning of the reconstruction of the civilian infrastructure of the Strip and, in this regard, noted the Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan adopted by the League of Arab States in March 4, 2025. They recalled that the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. They underlined, in this regard, the importance of unifying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Palestinian Authority, and reaffirm the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine. They reasserted their steadfast support for UNRWA and stressed the need to fully respect the mandate, bestowed on it by the UNGA, for the provision of basic services to Palestine refugees in its five fields of operations.
16. The Ministers reaffirmed that a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means and depends on the fulfillment of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people including the right to self-determination. They reiterated their unwavering commitment to the two-state solution, based on international law, including relevant UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative, with an independent and viable State of Palestine living side by side with Israel, in peace and security, within the 1967 borders, which includes the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They called states that have not yet recognized the state of Palestine to do so, and expressed their support for the admission of Palestine as a member of the UN.
17. They expressed concern at the provocative statement regarding plans for the imposition of Israeli sovereignty over the Occupied West Bank and the intensification of settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. They reiterated that settlements are illegal under international law and that any settlement activity must be stopped and reversed. They noted the advisory opinion of July 19 2024 of the International Court of Justice, "on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem", which determined, inter alia, that the continued presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and must be brought to an end as rapidly as possible.
18. In light of escalating international tensions, the Ministers called for strengthening of global disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation, including efforts within the framework of the Conference on Disarmament.
19. The Ministers strongly condemned the gruesome killing of civilians in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, India. The Ministers reaffirmed their unconditional rejection of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, urged zero tolerance for terrorism, rejected double standards in countering terrorism regardless of motivation and stressed that all counter-terrorism measures must comply fully with international law. They underscored the central coordinating role of the United Nations in this field and reiterated the importance of concluding a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism within the framework of the UN General Assembly. They emphasized the need to combat the financing of terrorism in line with international standards, while ensuring lawful and effective exchange of financial intelligence. The ministers called for concerted actions against all UN listed terrorists and terrorist entities including Al-Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), other proxy groups and their facilitators. The Ministers reiterated their resolve to step up joint efforts for the expeditious adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UNGA. The Ministers noted the growing challenges posed by violent extremism, including the threat from self-radicalized individuals, and stressed the importance of capacity-building and intelligence cooperation among states. They expressed concern over the misuse of the internet for terrorist propaganda and recruitment, while emphasizing the need to safeguard privacy and fundamental rights and recognized the potential of digital platforms to promote tolerance, mutual understanding, and dialogue as part of broader efforts to prevent violent extremism conducive to terrorism, including the cross-border movement of terrorists.
20. The Ministers expressed concern about the increasing scale and scope of environmental crimes, particularly wildlife trafficking and illegal mining, and agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation and the global regulatory framework on the matter through the negotiation of protocols to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC).
21. The Ministers looked forward to cooperating towards the reform of the WTO, and the international financial architecture, among others, to urgently make progress towards a just, democratic, and equitable multilateral system. They emphasized the need to enhance the voice and representation of developing countries including LDCs in global economic decision-making, norm-setting and global economic governance at international economic and financial institutions. They reaffirmed the centrality of Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) and development flexibilities as well as multilateral rules that support the development priorities of developing countries and LDCs.
22. The Ministers emphasized that fair, balanced and mutually beneficial trade must be nurtured and protected. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the centrality of the rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, fair, equitable, open, and inclusive multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, and its role in promoting predictability, stability, legal certainty and a level playing field for international trade while preserving special and differential treatment for developing countries including LDCs. The Ministers expressed serious concern over the imposition of unilateral tariff and other discriminatory and protectionist measures, particularly measures used as a means of coercion, noting that such actions are inconsistent with the WTO and risk undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system as well as destabilizing world markets fostering greater fragmentation and instability.
23. The Ministers remained committed to working constructively to the reform and strengthening of the multilateral trading system. The Ministers noted with regret that the commitment made at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference to have a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system by December 2024 has not been fulfilled and emphasized that they remain committed to the urgent restoration of an accessible, effective, fully-functioning, two-tier binding WTO dispute settlement system. They recalled that IBSA countries contributed to the Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration, the Decision on Dispute Settlement Reform, and declarations on special and differential treatment in SPS and TBT agreements. The Ministers recalled the importance of continued collaboration among WTO members to secure comprehensive and forward-looking results at MC14, especially on previously mandated issues. The Ministers highlighted the need for agricultural trade to be free from protectionist unilateral measures contrary to WTO rules, notably those justified under the guise of environmental protection. The members underscored that transparent, open, reliable, non-discriminatory, and uninterrupted international trade in agriculture and its inputs is one of the important avenues to address the global food security crisis. The Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening even further agricultural cooperation among IBSA, including within multilateral organizations.
24. The Ministers reinforced the need for a reformed and more representative governance structure in international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, with increased participation of developing countries. The Ministers urged these institutions to improve access, simplify procedures, reduce loan conditionalities and promote more space for domestic development policies. They urged these institutions not to steer away from their core mandate of financing development, with particular priority to the fight against hunger and poverty. The Ministers expressed support for greater representation and voice of developing countries in decision-making in Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and other international economic and financial institutions to deliver more effective, credible, accountable, and legitimate institutions. The Ministers reiterated the call of G20 Leaders in New Delhi for the MDBs to undertake comprehensive efforts to evolve comprehensively reform their vision, incentive structures, operational approaches and financial capacities so that they are better equipped to maximize their impact in addressing a wide range of global challenges while being consistent with their mandate and commitment to accelerate progress towards Sustainable development goals (SDGs) to be able to better assist developing countries in financing their development needs and address global challenges. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to promote the reform of the multilateral system through cooperation and coordination in all relevant multilateral fora and international organizations. They welcomed the conclusion and the beginning of the implementation of the G20 Roadmap towards better, bigger and more effective MDBs, a key result of Brazil´s G20 Presidency in 2024 and look forward to the implementation progress report of the roadmap under South Africa's G20 Presidency.
25. The Ministers underlined the pressing issue of debt vulnerability in developing countries, which affects both low and middle-income countries. They highlighted the priority and urgency of addressing this challenge. The Ministers reminded that the last round of accelerated increases in international interest rates worsened debt crises in the countries from the Global South and contributed to a lost decade in terms of economic growth and development. They recalled that industrialization, economic diversification, and the production of higher value-added goods are crucial for development. They reaffirmed that developing countries must continue to fight for greater access to international markets for their goods and services and combat the current wave of renewed protectionism and unilateral trade and financial measures.
26. The Ministers reaffirmed the G20's role as the premier forum for international economic cooperation and highlighted the sequence of four developing countries in the presidency of the group, including the three IBSA members (India, 2023; Brazil, 2024; South Africa, 2025), which constitutes a valuable opportunity to further integrate a developmental perspective into the G20 agenda and further amplify the voice of the Global South. While expressing their full support to the ongoing South-African G20 Presidency, the Ministers agreed to cooperate on issues of common interest in the agenda of the group, particularly those regarding disaster resilience and response, debt sustainability for low-income countries, just energy transitions financing, and critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.The Ministers commended the organization of the second G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting at the margins of the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly, on 25th September 2025.
27. The Ministers underscored the importance of the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in its three important dimensions - economic, social, and environmental - in a balanced and integrated manner leaving no one behind. They highlighted the need to strengthen the means of implementation including capacity building, transfer of technology, grants and concessional finance from the developed countries and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. They urged the developed countries to fully honor their Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments, in particular that of dedicating 0.7% of their gross national income for ODA, and for providing new and additional financing and the means of implementation of the SDGs in the developing countries. They expressed regret with regards to the significant expected fall in ODA in 2025, in which no fewer than nine developed countries have announced reductions in their contributions. They further urged developed countries to reserve the classification of ODA to initiatives strictly linked to development.
28. The Ministers welcomed the successful conclusion of Fourth Financing for Development Conference (FfD4) and its "Compromiso de Sevilla" which demonstrated the continued strength of multilateralism in very challenging times. They underlined that the effective allocation of additional financial resources for development, however, has fallen severely short of expectations and has not been sufficient to bring the world closer to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. They criticized, in particular, the excessive focus on military spending, which increased 9,4% in 2024, reaching the record sum of US$ 2,7 trillion and encouraged leaders to refocus the world´s financial and human resources on promoting peace, human rights and development.
29. The Ministers reiterated IBSA's commitment to the purpose and goals of the Paris Agreement and the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and called on all countries particularly the developed country parties to uphold their commitment as Parties to the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement and to maintain and scale up their effort to combat climate change. They reaffirmed the importance of promoting an enabling international environment that supports timely climate action. Recognizing that mitigation efforts embedded within the wider development context can increase the pace, depth and breadth of GHG emissions reductions, they reiterated their commitment to accelerate action towards the Paris Agreement's temperature goal, in a nationally determined manner as provided in article 4 of the Paris Agreement.
30. The Ministers expressed their full support to the COP30 Presidency, which will take place in the city of Belem, in Brazil, highlighting the importance of action and cooperation on all pillars of the UNFCCC. They also underscored their full commitment to a successful COP30 that will catalyze progress in implementing the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement in this critical year following the submission of the second round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the delivery of the first Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs). We welcome India's Candidacy to host COP 33 in 2028.
31. Noting the findings of the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report regarding the urgency of climate action, Ministers expressed their determination to promote bold, timely and structural actions in their national economies and in the international financial system with a view to accelerating and scaling up climate action, in synergy with sustainable development priorities and efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger. They underscored the opportunities for the Global South embedded in new cycles of sustainable economic growth and transformation towards low GHG emissions and climate-resilient development pathways consistent with securing the quality of life of all future generations, leaving no one behind, according to national circumstances and priorities. Overcoming current financing gaps in developing countries will significantly bolster collective capacity to fulfill the Paris Agreement objectives in tandem with the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals.
32. Recognizing the findings of the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Synthesis Report, historical emissions have already used about four-fifths of the total carbon budget for limiting warming to 1.5 °C. Developed Countries, with less than a fifth of the world's population, account for the majority of historical emissions since 1850. While all Parties must contribute to global mitigation, the scale and nature of contributions should be guided by the principles of equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). It is also recognized that economic and social development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of developing country Parties, and that equitable access to means of implementation-climate finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity-building-is essential given the limited remaining global carbon budget.
33. The Ministers expressed strong opposition to the growing trend of unilateral trade-restrictive measures adopted by developed nations under the guise of environmental protection, such as unilateral and discriminatory carbon border adjustments and due diligence requirements with detrimental impacts on global efforts to halt and reverse deforestation. They noted that such unilateral measures undermine core principles, provisions and goals of the environmental regimes and will exacerbate the current outflow of capital from the global South to the global North, negating climate financing commitments of developed countries and hampering climate action and sustainable development in developing countries. They called for a cooperative international approach that aligns with the provisions of UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement and with WTO rules, while fostering sustainable development in its three dimensions.
34. The Ministers underscored the urgent need for enhanced engagement by developed countries in mobilizing substantial, predictable, and long-term financial resources for the conservation of tropical forests. They supported the planned launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) at COP30 and recognized its potential to deliver agile, results-based support for tropical forest countries. The Ministers encouraged potential investor countries to announce ambitious contributions to ensure the Facility's capitalization and timely operationalization. They also encouraged tropical forest countries to join the initiative and seize this opportunity to advance sustainable development pathways that protect standing tropical forests, strengthen national ownership, with the important engagement of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and contribute meaningfully to global biodiversity and climate goals.
35. The Ministers called for the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements guided by the principles of Rio Declaration, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity and its "Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework". The Ministers emphasized the importance of ensuring adequate, accessible, effective, and predictable financial resources as well as transfer of appropriate and affordable technologies, especially from the developed countries to the developing countries for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and promoting the contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities. They also underlined the need to urgently accelerate actions to address development and climate challenges, promote lifestyle for sustainable development, and conserve biodiversity. We endorse the vision of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), that is in tune with our planet, which promotes sustainable living through the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. They welcomed the Global Platform for DRR and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in furtherance of such collaboration and sharing.
36. The Ministers welcomed the upcoming 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP-15), to be held in 2026 in Campo Grande, Brazil, as an opportunity to strengthen the global commitment to the conservation of migratory wildlife, multilateralism, and international environmental cooperation.
37. The ministers appreciated the efforts of our countries to preserve rare species and noting the high vulnerability of big cats, we welcome Republic of India's initiative to create an International Big Cats Alliance and encourage IBSA countries to work together to the conservation of big cats.
38. The Ministers reaffirmed the importance of the ongoing negotiation of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, and called for the operationalization of a financial mechanism suited to the challenges of implementation of the instrument, with a balanced governance structure and with developed countries taking the lead in providing resources.
39. The Ministers highlighted the critical role of oceans for sustainable development and climate stability and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing SDG 14 within IBSA. They expressed their support for the creation of the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary (SAWS) under the framework of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The Ministers further reiterated the importance of the timely signature, ratification, and implementation by the parties of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), noting that its recognition of marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction as common heritage of humankind offers a valuable opportunity for IBSA cooperation.
40. The Ministers reiterated the importance of global goals set out in the UNFCCC's Paris Agreement and welcomed the operationalization of the UAE Work Program on Just Transition, with its inclusive vision on just transition pathways, addressing both the national and international dimensions and all sectors of society. They also emphasized that the main bottleneck for transformative change in energy systems is access to affordable financing, technology, and critical minerals, particularly for developing countries. In this regard, they called on developed countries to play a decisive role in filling this widening financing gap in accordance with their commitments as laid down in the Paris Agreement, welcomed the Brazilian G20 presidency's emphasis on the need to catalyze and scale up investment, especially in developing countries, alongside discussions on just and inclusive energy transitions and the need for an integrated approach to the development, deployment, and science-based certification of sustainable low emission fuels.
41. The Ministers affirmed their commitment to advancing just and inclusive energy transitions and to support actions to reduce emissions from the energy sector in line with NDC commitments and national priorities and contexts in accordance with the principles of CBDR-RC. They advocate the efficient utilization of diverse energy sources and technologies - including biofuels, hydropower, fossil fuels, nuclear power, and low-emission hydrogen - to achieve more adaptable, resilient, and sustainable energy systems. They furthermore recognized the importance of the immediate reduction of emissions from all transport sectors on a range of pathways, including through the development of infrastructure and rapid deployment of hybrid, flex-fuel, and low emission vehicles. To achieve these goals, they recognized the important role of organizations such as the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in promoting renewable energy production and sustainable development, fostering energy access, and combating climate change.
42. The Ministers recognized the key role of critical minerals for the development of zero- and low- emission energy technologies, energy security, and resilience of energy supply chains. They affirmed the need to promote reliable, responsible, diversified, resilient, fair, sustainable, and just supply chains of such minerals to guarantee benefit sharing, value addition and economic diversification in resource-rich countries, while fully preserving sovereign rights over their mineral resources, as well as their right to adopt, maintain and enforce measures necessary to pursue legitimate public policy objectives. We also emphasize the importance of international cooperation for technology transfer and co-development, capacity building, and responsible investment, to support consuming and producing countries in this transition.
43. The Ministers recognized the growing importance of global health for foreign policy, given that global health challenges require concerted and sustained collaborative efforts. They reiterated their pledge to work together to achieve the health-related SDGs, in particular the pursuit of universal health coverage, and to make the world more resilient to future public health emergencies and highlighted the crucial role of the World Health Organization as the coordinating and facilitating body on international health work. The Ministers also underscored that better health outcomes can be achieved by addressing poverty, hunger, and other social determinants of health. The Ministers emphasized the value of bilateral, particularly South-South cooperation, along with trilateral and multilateral cooperation to promote the strengthening of health systems, including through local production and global universal, timely and equitable access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable medical supplies including vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other health technologies and health-related products. They welcomed the launch of the BRICS Partnership for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases as a landmark initiative to tackle the root causes of health disparities and ensure a healthier future for all.
44. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a trusted, accountable, open, safe, secure, stable, accessible, and peaceful cyberspace. The Ministers highlighted that the United Nations General Assembly is the appropriate forum for a global dialogue on international security related to the ICTs, where broad, common understandings have and can continue to be achieved. This dialogue, with strong participation from nations from the Global South, is essential to allow countries to benefit from the digital transformation, including through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), while preventing threats to peace and security stemming from the already ubiquitous and borderless digital realm. In this context, the Ministers welcomed the establishment, by consensus, within the framework of the ongoing Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) (2021-2025), of a single-track, intergovernmental, open, inclusive, permanent, flexible, transparent, and action-oriented regular institutional dialogue mechanism, reporting to the First Committee of the UNGA. The Ministers emphasized international cooperation for bridging the digital divides and welcomed the establishment of IBSA cooperation on cyber-related issues, including DPI and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
45. The Ministers welcomed the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime by the General Assembly. Given the urgency of this challenge, they call upon all states to sign the Convention at the earliest opportunity, in October 2025 in Hanoi, and to its rapid entry into force.
46. The Ministers reaffirmed the fundamental purpose of science, technology, and innovation (STI) in advancing sustainable development and addressing global challenges, underscoring that cooperation in STI strengthens friendship, mutual understanding, and peaceful relations among nations. They emphasized the importance of broad access to scientific and technological knowledge so that advancements benefit all and highlighted the need to engage with society to raise awareness of the impact and relevance of STI in people's lives, counter misinformation, promote understanding, and inspire future generations to value and also pursue careers in these fields. The Ministers committed to strengthening cooperation by exploring common subjects for joint research, supporting the development of technologies to address shared challenges, expanding collaboration between universities, technology hubs, and the private sector, stimulating cross-incubation initiatives, fostering technology transfer, enhancing the sharing of and access to research infrastructure, and adopting open science and open innovation systems to widen opportunities in STI. They agreed to continue advancing collaboration among experts, researchers, academics, innovation ecosystems, and entrepreneurs to ensure the fair distribution of STI benefits, stimulate competition, and explore new prospects for cooperation. In this regard, we welcome launching of the BRICS Startup Forum in January 2025, under the leadership of India, and appreciate the launch of its BRICS Startup Knowledge Hub, to foster collaboration and deeper engagement among the startup ecosystems.
47. They recognized that digital platforms have reshaped the digital ecosystem and online interactions by amplifying information dissemination and facilitating communication within and across geographical boundaries. The digitization of the information realm and the accelerated evolution of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, has also dramatically impacted the speed, scale, and reach of misinformation and disinformation, hate speech and other forms of online harms, a phenomenon exacerbated by a variety of economic incentives in the digital domain. The Ministers thus emphasized the need for digital platforms' transparency and responsibility in line with relevant policies and applicable legal frameworks and recognized the relevance of promoting information integrity.
48. The Ministers recalled the BRICS Leaders' Statement on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, adopted during the Rio de Janeiro BRICS Summit in July, and reaffirmed their commitment towards a human-centered, inclusive, and ethical approach to the development, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence (AI). In line with the Statement and reiterating the central role of the United Nations in AI global governance, and in light of the recently adopted Terms of Reference on AI Scientific Panel and Global Dialogue on AI Governance as provided by the Global Digital Compact, they expressed the need for greater coordination among the instances and a greater focus on capacity-building, closing the digital gaps, and ensuring that all countries, particularly those of the Global South, can harness the benefits arising from AI and be represented in both the Panel and the Dialogue. They stressed that the opportunity created by the Global Digital Compact to ensure a governance model for AI that benefits all of humanity should not be missed.
49. The Ministers welcomed the ongoing 20-year review process of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20), which provides a unique opportunity for IBSA members to propose reference models and guidelines in an ever more interconnected and complex digital governance environment to deliver the vision of building a human-centric and people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society, through enhanced cooperation.
50. Affirming their commitment to achieving universal and meaningful connectivity for all, they encouraged joint efforts to facilitate the deployment of digital infrastructure, including digital public infrastructure (DPI). They also emphasized the importance of ensuring the sustainability of space activities, including space situational awareness, and recognized the opportunity to expand inclusive access to space-based technologies, in order to promote fair access and use of all orbits and radiofrequency spectrum. We reaffirm G20 Framework for Systems of Digital Public Infrastructure, a voluntary and suggested framework for the development, deployment and governance of DPI adopted in G20 New Delhi Declaration.
51. The Ministers expressed their commitment to support holding an IBSA Leaders' Meeting.
52. The Ministers of India and South Africa thanked the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil for hosting the 13th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission on the sidelines of the 80th UNGA.