Security issues on the BRICS Agenda

High politics (politics and security) is one of the three main areas of BRICS activity, along with economics and finance, as well as humanitarian ties. An analysis of the final declarations of the BRICS summits shows (Table 1) that security issues have been mentioned in every such document (without exception) since the establishment of the institute.

Table 1. Security issues in BRICS summit declarations

This focus encompasses not only traditional notions of security but also a broader discourse on peace, security, development, cooperation, and the emerging challenges and threats related to "global security."

The first area typically includes:

• Upholding principles and norms of international law, addressing matters of war and peace (peace work) through the lens of the UN Security Council and the UN Peacebuilding Commission and advocating for a reform of the UN Security Council to ensure greater representation of developing nations.
• Ensuring indivisible security ("no state can bolster its own security at the expense of others") supported by regular meetings of High Representatives for (National) Security.
• Promoting active involvement of regional institutions in tackling security challenges, including frameworks like the African Peace and Security Architecture; the Peace and Security Council and the Peace Fund; the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO); the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO); and the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process.
• Ensuring unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance in regions with protracted armed conflicts and combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property from these regions.
• Combating international terrorism (particularly through the collaborative efforts of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group), fighting drug trafficking, illicit financial flows, and unlawful enrichment.
• Ensuring the safety of international shipping routes and maritime operations, safeguarding space endeavours, and preventing an arms race in outer space.
• Eliminating chemical weapons and promoting the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons (Iran's JCPOA and Korean Peninsula), combating the development, production, and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons.

 

Summing up, BRICS addresses both security issues that resonate on a global scale and those that hold particular significance for the Global South nations.

Since 2017, the final declarations of the BRICS summits have consistently dedicated a special section to security in its narrow sense, primarily focusing on traditional security threats: Enhancing Cooperation for Global and Regional Stability and Security (2024), Fostering an Environment of Peace and Development (2023), Ensuring Peace and Security (2022), Peace, Security, and Counter-Terrorism Cooperation (2021), Policy and Security (2020), Regional Situations (2019), Strengthening and Consolidating BRICS Cooperation in International Peace and Security (2018), and International Peace and Security (2017).

In several BRICS declarations, security concerns are woven into the fabric of development issues, forming the security-development nexus. For instance, the Fortaleza Declaration 2014 asserts that "development and security are closely interlinked, mutually reinforcing, and key to attaining sustainable peace." It further emphasises that "peace, security, and development are closely interlinked," underscoring that "Afghanistan needs time, development assistance and cooperation, preferential access to world markets, and foreign investment to attain lasting peace and stability." Both the Ufa (2015) and Goa Declarations (2016) echo this sentiment, reiterating that development and security are deeply interconnected, complementary, and pivotal for attaining sustainable peace. The pursuit of peace and security is also linked to addressing poverty, inequality, and unemployment.

This perspective aligns with the vision of positioning the Russian Federation as a provider of comprehensive turnkey security-encompassing not just military aspects but also economy, food, energy, and more-while promoting broader concepts of sovereignty.

The fundamental elements of security in a wider context are not confined to traditional interpretations within the designated section; instead, they are dispersed throughout other sections focused primarily on sustainable development. An exception to this trend is cybersecurity, which is predominantly addressed within a specialised section of declarations.

Thus, various facets of sustainable development within the final declarations of the BRICS summits are securitised, meaning they are examined through the lens of security challenges in its broad interpretation. This securitisation can be temporary. For instance, during and immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic, health security was prominently securitised; yet by 2022, this urgency had waned, even as priorities for cooperation in the healthcare sector remained steadfast.

It is noteworthy that countries chairing BRICS have different perspectives on the degree of securitisation of the international agenda. For instance, in the Kazan Declaration 2024, the concept of security-encompassing its various interpretations - was mentioned 53 times. In contrast, the II Johannesburg Declaration (Summit 2023) referred to security only 36 times, nearly one and a half times less. The Kazan Declaration also emphasises significant concerns regarding attempts to securitise the climate change agenda.

When we broaden our perspective on security beyond traditional definitions, we can identify several key areas of cooperation that have been securitised:

1.      Food security takes the lead, leaving all other categories far behind. This issue is highlighted in declarations from every summit without exception, often receiving repeated emphasis in multiple declarations.

2.      Following closely in importance is information security (cybersecurity). This topic has been referenced in the declarations from the summits held in 2011 and between 2013 and 2024, reflecting a growing recognition of its significance each year. Notably, the Declaration from the XIV BRICS Summit in Beijing held in 2022 mentioned security in artificial intelligence (AI) as a distinct area, while the Kazan Declaration 2024 emphasised the need for an inclusive and secure digital economy. Additionally, BRICS declarations endorsed in 2020 and between 2022 and 2024 saw mentions of threats at the intersection of cybersecurity and financial security, addressing issues such as cyber threats within the financial and financial technology sector and secure and inclusive payment systems.

3.      Energy security ranks third on this list, appearing in the declarations from the summits held in 2009, 2011, 2012, and from 2015 to 2024.

a.      Within this category, a specific sub-area has emerged: security in nuclear energy, which was highlighted in the declarations from both 2011 and 2012.

4.      Financial security ranks fourth, woven through the declarations of the summits held in 2014, 2016, 2018, and between 2020 and 2024. This concept primarily emphasises the establishment of a robust global financial system, with the IMF playing a central role. Additionally, it encompasses the enhancement of the International Monetary and Financial System (IMFS) as a whole, the advancement of the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement, and the promotion of collaborative efforts among BRICS central banks.

5.      Following in fifth place is health security, highlighted in the documents from the summits held in 2015, 2016, 2017, and between 2019 and 2022. Notably, while the BRICS Summit 2015 concentrated on global health security, the focus shifted in subsequent years: from medications in 2016–2017 to vaccines and testing systems in 2020–2022.

6.      Ranking sixth is international trade security, a recurring theme in the final documents from the summits held in 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2020. This area pertains to the establishment of a predictable trading system, including the mechanisms of the WTO dispute settlement system. The Kazan Declaration 2024 places particular emphasis on safe, secure, stable, efficient, and open supply chains and international transport routes, even though it does not explicitly connect to international trade.

7.      Environmental security ranks seventh, referenced in the declarations from the summits held in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2020.

a.      Industrial safety emerges as a sub-area addressed during the BRICS Summit 2015.

8.      Eighth on the list is biological security, mentioned in the declarations of the 2011 and 2013 summits. This area encompasses issues related to biological diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; while biological weapons and bioterrorism are addressed within the traditional security section.

9.      Ranking ninth is the effective regulation of migration as it pertains to international security, highlighted in the declarations endorsed in 2016 and 2017.

10. Additionally, several summit declarations contain sporadic references to broader interpretations of security in various contexts: urban security (BRICS Summit 2016); social security (BRICS Summit 2016); security related to labour protection (BRICS Summit 2024); security related to natural disaster risks (BRICS Summit 2017); and tourism security (BRICS Summit 2018).

Summing up, this analysis enables us to trace the major concerns of the BRICS nations, which, in light of the current circumstances, are being increasingly securitised.