Enhancing parliamentary interaction within the BRICS framework is a focal point of Russia's leadership of the bloc, said First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Alexander Zhukov at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Thursday.
Russia also seeks to lay the groundwork for comprehensive cooperation through open dialogue among member countries' legislative bodies in the bloc, he continued.
"For Russia’s BRICS chairmanship, one of the main priorities is the development of the parliamentary dimension. Why is this so important? It is very important how the people of our countries relate to BRICS," Zhukov stated during an expert forum titled "The Role of BRICS in the Search for a New World Order".
He highlighted that the parliaments of various BRICS nations are engaged in direct and transparent dialogue, with extensive prospects ahead for this exchange.
"This creates the foundation for the development of cooperation in all key areas. This includes work to counter global challenges, terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, weapons, and transnational crime," Zhukov noted.
The first vice speaker of the State Duma emphasized the significant role that international dialogue plays in advancing the progressive development of multilateral cooperation within BRICS and in actively advancing mutual interests on the global stage.
Meanwhile, as of January 1, Russia assumed the chairmanship of BRICS for the upcoming year, which is guided by the motto of enhancing multilateralism to foster fair global development and security. This tenure commenced with the inclusion of new members in the organization, expanding its roster to encompass not only the Russian Federation, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa but also Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
The 27th edition of the SPIEF began on Wednesday, features participants from 139 countries and regions, and will run until June 8th.