Foreign Minister Urges Developing Future Cooperation with BRICS to Achieve Prosperity

Cape Town, Jun 3, 2023, SPA -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is keen to develop future cooperation with the BRICS group to achieve collective prosperity, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, said Friday.
The Saudi Foreign Minister participated today in the ministerial meeting of Friends of BRICS in Cape Town, the Republic of South Africa, held under the theme "Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism.”
In his speech at the meeting, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that the Kingdom is keen to advance its future cooperation with BRICS by benefiting from the potential and capabilities possessed by both sides.
This aims to fulfill joint interests and achieve prosperity for all, the Foreign Minister explained.
The Kingdom remains the BRICS group’s largest commercial partner in the Middle East, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said, affirming that trade relations with the BRICS countries have witnessed great growth.
“This reflects the growing and developed relations with the countries of the group,” the minister said.
The total value of bilateral trade with the countries of the BRICS group increased from US $81 billion in 2017 and $128 billion in 2021 to surpass $160 billion last year, the Foreign Minister noted.
Meanwhile, the Kingdom shares basic values with the BRICS countries, represented in the belief that relations between countries are based on the principles of respect for sovereignty, non-interference, and adherence to international law, the minister said.
These principles also include the existence of multilateral frameworks and collective action as reference points in the face of mutual challenges, he added.
Moreover, the Kingdom, along with BRICS countries, also believes in the importance of peace, security, and stability in order to refocus efforts towards national development and common prosperity, Prince Faisal bin Farhan affirmed.
The Kingdom maintains its commitment to working with international partners in order to achieve the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, the Foreign Minister said.
He added that the Kingdom also works on intensifying global efforts to enhance food and energy security amid recurring crises and supply-chain issues.
Also, the Kingdom is a pioneering country worldwide in the field of humanitarian and development aid and is among the top 10 donors to low- and middle-income countries, Prince Faisal stressed.
Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Ministry for International Multilateral Affairs, and the Saudi Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa Sultan Al-Liwiahan Al-Anqary were part of the Saudi delegation at the meeting.
-- SPA