Editorial
All eyes are set on the upcoming 9th BRICS Summit with the theme “BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future” hosted by the People’s Republic of China in one of the southeast China’s coastal cities of Xiamen, Fujian Province on September 3-5,2017 in the capacity of Chairmanship.
The influential block of five emerging economies of the world comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa making 43% of the world’s population and 30 % of the world’s GDP. The Summit is scheduled in the backdrop of the deteriorating China-India relations following the ongoing standoff between the Armies of the two countries in the Donglang area of the Sikkim sector of the China-India border, making it the longest stalemate between the two militaries in recent years.
It is expected that China and India, as major countries in the group, will move ahead with their reconciliation paths for The Summit will also feature five key priorities such as deepening cooperation, strengthening global governance, carrying out people-to-people exchanges, making institutional improvements, and building broader partnerships. It is hoped that this year’s summit will produce some more practical and concrete cooperation and improve the trust and build confidence among the member nations.
The countries of the bloc are facing internal and external challenges and many pessimists are considering a downfall in the grouping especially after the rise of the rift between China and India and internal turmoil in the other countries.
However, optimists are putting forward the logic for a brighter future of the bloc as they see the grouping as an engine of world economic growth. The Chinese President Xi Jinping said that BRICS countries are the champions of the emerging developing countries of the world. The Summit will provide a chance for the countries to reflect back on the joint efforts to move ahead to achieve the development goals set forth in the BRICS framework and reduce differences.
The BRICS grouping is significant because of the recent abrupt development but also because of the anticipated changes that these countries may help to transform the economic landscape of the world and eventually there may be a change in the global economic power.
All of these countries of the bloc are competing for influential positions in the international arena especially in international institutions within the global economy. For instance, Brazil and India vied for a greater role in the U.N. Security Council (China and Russia are permanent members and are veto players).
The Big Three of the grouping for compelling strategic and economic reasons view it as a mechanism to counter west like China and Russia while for India the grouping is a balancer to its pro-West tendencies, giving it a finely calibrated standing in global affairs. The platform is meant to promote the multi-polar world order and has attracted states throughout the world.
BRICS seems to be an attractive model providing an alternate voice in this ‘anarchic’ world order. There are voices within to increase the membership and the forum is meant to promote the multi-polar world order and has attracted the states throughout the world. The economic weight of BRICS states along with the political clout certainly made this an attractive organization for membership.
Uzbekistan is the country that the world needs to take utmost notice of because of its transformed and emerging outlook towards a greater role in the regional and world economy.
The country is Central Asia’s center of gravity as being one of the leading states in promoting peace, cooperative development, and regional harmony. Central Asia in general and Uzbekistan in specific is at the momentous junction of the prehistoric world and today’s modern civilizations with its own splendor and glamour of history, heritage, and traditions.
The region of what is called today’s Pakistan has equally been inspired and affected by the cultural, rich traditions, values of the great civilization sprouted in the region from today’s Uzbekistan. Pakistan and Uzbekistan though have 25 years of diplomatic relations but they have deep-rooted historical roots.
These relations gained strength over the years because of the religious and cultural affinity and shared values hence both states worked towards having close cooperation with each other at the international and regional level.
This year, both states are celebrating their 25th year of togetherness and it is high time now to reflect back on the achievements over these years and challenges that may require our special attention including trade, development, people-to-people contacts, and others in times ahead.
Uzbekistan always stood by Pakistan in its war against terror and recognized not only regionally but internationally also the services and sacrifices made by the Pakistan and people of Pakistan. Both states also can play a significant role in promoting peace processes in the region and economic revival with a special focus on trade and investment.
The Diplomatic Insight is a digital and print magazine focusing on diplomacy, defense, and development publishing since 2009.
