The VI BRICS+ Young Diplomats Forum ended in Ufa. TV BRICS acted as an international media partner of the event. More than 100 young diplomats from 23 countries took part in the forum. Among the experts were heads of foreign policy departments and ministries, members of the Bashkortostan government, representatives of leading mass media and public organisations.

During the business programme, the delegates discussed economic cooperation and the prospects of building a new financial and settlement system, the implementation of youth policy and sports development in the countries of the association, security policy and the role of BRICS in the modern system of international relations.

According to Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Centre in Moscow, the forum in Ufa demonstrates the continuity of generations of diplomatic personnel and serves to strengthen trust and mutual understanding between countries.

“The key to the success of the forum of young diplomats lies in the rich professional agenda that we observe at the events taking place these days in Ufa,” the UN representative emphasised.

He also drew attention to the fact that the meeting of young diplomats is taking place ahead of the BRICS summit to be held in Kazan in October this year. In turn, Liu Mengjing, Third Secretary of the Chinese Embassy in Russia, noted that cooperation with the BRICS countries is one of the priority areas of Beijing’s foreign policy.

“China will continue to provide all-round support to Russia as the BRICS chair and will promote the achievement of significant results at the summit in Kazan,” the diplomat said. The theme of this year’s forum, “The Role of Youth Diplomacy in Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security,” also attracted interest from participants from BRICS+ countries.

In an exclusive commentary to TV BRICS, Ana Lourdes Gonzalez Vilches, First Secretary, official in the Department of Europe and Canada of the Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that she already knows Russia well. The diplomat studied in Moscow and then worked for three years at the Cuban Embassy in the Russian capital. “The forum was a platform where we were able to discuss opportunities for BRICS member countries to expand their co-operation scheme to other countries in the world,” the event participant added.

Head of the Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Integration in Africa of Senegal, Mariam Dembele, emphasised the desire of African countries to actively develop cooperation with the members of the association. “BRICS contributes to the evolving global order. The group’s call for a more inclusive and representative global system resonates with many countries in the Global South, including African nations,” the forum participant said.

At the end of the forum, participants from 14 countries joined the International Association of Young Diplomats. The Association was created on the initiative of the Russian Foreign Ministry to build trust between countries. As of today, more than 150 foreign policy officials from 34 countries are members of the Association. The Young Diplomats Forum has been held regularly since 2015. This year, the capital of Bashkortostan celebrates the 450th anniversary of its foundation. It is no coincidence that the forum organisers and the republic’s leadership chose this city to host an important international event from the calendar of Russia’s BRICS chairmanship.

Photo: Press Service of the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan