BRICS voices ‘grave concern’ over tariff hikes by US; criticises others’ environment-based restrictions

Rio de Janeiro: Embroiled in a trade war launched by the United States, BRICS leaders say they view with “grave concern” the “indiscriminate rising of tariffs”, but do not name Washington in their joint statement.

“We voice serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO [World Trade Organisation] rules,” their joint statement adopted unanimously on Sunday said.

The leaders, however, also criticised the other developed countries that try to impose trade restrictions aimed at developing nations by raising environmental issues while opposing unilateral tariffs that affect them.

“The proliferation of trade-restrictive actions, whether in the form of indiscriminate rising of tariffs and nontariff measures, or protectionism under the guise of environmental objectives, threatens to further reduce global trade, disrupt global supply chains”, the statement said without naming any countries or groups like the European Union.

These measures, the statement said, “introduce uncertainty into international economic and trade activities, potentially exacerbating existing economic disparities and affecting prospects for global economic development”.

As the organisation of the Global South, the BRICS leaders called for special treatment for developing countries in a “rules-based, open, transparent, fair, inclusive, equitable, non-discriminatory, consensus-based multilateral trading system”.

The 126-paragraph statement by the leaders of 11 BRICS countries touched on a gamut of subjects from outer space to deep sea.

The leaders extended full support to India becoming the chair of BRICS next year and hosting the summit.

The declaration condemned the April 22 Pahalgam attack and demanded that the perpetrators and their supporters be brought to justice.

Although it did not name the terrorist group or its backers, it was a diplomatic win for India going against China, the protector of Pakistan, whose proxies carried out the attack.

On some contentious issues, the statement showed a measure of moderation to reach a consensus.

The statement “condemned” without naming the US or Israel, the attacks on the nuclear facilities in Iran.

It, however, expressed support for making the Middle East a nuclear-weapon-free zone. That would neutralise Iran’s nuclear ambitions and also Israel’s undeclared nuclear capability.

In a moderated tone, the statement expressed “grave concern” about the continued Israeli attacks on Gaza, while also calling for the release of hostages taken by Hamas, which it did not name.

For Ukraine, it reiterated suggestions for mediation and diplomacy.

But without naming Ukraine, in a sop to Moscow, it condemned “in the strongest terms” the attacks against bridges and railways infrastructure and civilians in Bryansk, Kursk, and Voronezh regions of Russia.

The leaders opposed the militarisation of outer space and welcomed the establishment of the BRICS Deep-Sea Resource International Research Centre in Hangzhou, China.

IANS