This meeting was held on the sidelines of the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Such timing is strategic, as it allows BRICS nations to coordinate their positions on key global issues just as world leaders gather for the UNGA.

Participants

The meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers or their equivalents from the five BRICS nations:

• Brazil: Mauro Vieira
• Russia: Sergey Lavrov
• India: Sushma Swaraj
• China: Wang Yi
• South Africa: Maite Nkoana-Mashabane

Key Discussion Points

While the specific agenda of this meeting is not widely publicized, BRICS Foreign Ministers typically discuss:

1. Global governance reform, particularly of the United Nations and international financial institutions
2. Ongoing global conflicts and peacekeeping efforts
3. Sustainable development and climate change
4. Terrorism and transnational organized crime
5. Economic cooperation among BRICS nations

Significance of the Meeting

Coordination of UN Policies

These meetings allow BRICS countries to align their positions on key UN issues, potentially increasing their collective influence in the General Assembly and Security Council.

Economic Cooperation

The ministers likely discussed the progress of BRICS economic initiatives, such as the New Development Bank (NDB), which had been officially launched earlier that year in July 2015.

Global Governance

BRICS nations often use these meetings to advocate for reforms in global governance structures to better reflect the changing global economic and political landscape.

Broader 2015 Context

The 2015 meeting took place in a year of significant developments for BRICS:

1. The 7th BRICS Summit was held in Ufa, Russia, in July 2015
2. The New Development Bank was officially launched
3. The BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement became operational