UNSC, WTO need urgent reforms to make them inclusive: Om Birla at BRICS forum

Saint Petersburg (Russia), July 11: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is leading the Indian delegation at BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Russia, has hailed the grouping's expansion and, at the same time, reiterated India's stance of reforming the working of the United Nations and its bodies.

"BRICS represents the interests of developing countries. We are happy today that BRICS is striving to establish a more inclusive global government system," Om Birla said in his remarks at the Plenary Session of the two-day 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum meeting which began in St Petersburg on Thursday.

At the session, titled 'The BRICS Parliamentary dimension: Prospects for strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation', Om Birla extended a warm welcome to the Parliaments of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to the BRICS forum.

"India believes that the inclusion of the new members will strengthen BRICS family and will provide impetus to our endeavours for a shared and better future for humanity. We believe that international organisations like the UNSC and WTO also need urgent reforms to make them inclusive in a similar manner so as to make global governance more democratic and inclusive," he said.

The Lok Sabha Speaker also thanked Russia for supporting India's candidature for a permanent seat in an expanded United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

India, a founding member of the United Nations, is actively engaged in the ongoing Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) on UNSC reforms at the United Nations and has been working with other reform-oriented countries through its membership of the G-4 (India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan) and the L.69 Group (cross-regional grouping of developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America).

Emphasising the role of Parliaments in fostering transparency and accountability, Om Birla also urged for collaboration among legislatures worldwide.

The Indian delegation at the forum also includes Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Rajya Sabha MP Shambhu Sharan Patel, Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh and Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Modi, among other officials.

The forum is being held with the theme of 'Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security'.

The Lok Sabha Speaker is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Parliament Speakers of other countries at the sidelines of the event.

He will also present India's stance on relevant issues and meet Indian expatriates in Moscow.

Apart from the BRICS countries, which include four new members (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates), Speakers and Parliament members from other invited countries - including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan - and the Chairperson of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Tulia Aksen are participating in the meetings at the forum.