Uruguay’s Prospective Participation in the BRICS Summit

Brazilian President Lula invites Uruguay, Colombia, and Mexico to the BRICS summit, emphasizing the importance of multilateralism and free trade. Uruguay’s President Orsi met with the NDB’s Dilma Rousseff, noting that the country’s accession to the bank is nearly complete. However, he clarified that this does not equate to joining BRICS, and reiterated a commitment to maintaining strong relations with the United States.

At a recent press conference, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva extended an invitation to Uruguay, Colombia, and Mexico to join the upcoming BRICS summit in Brazil. He emphasized the importance of participation from these nations, suggesting a broader debate on global issues is beneficial. Lula highlighted that strengthening both multilateralism and free trade is vital, asserting that without free trade, multilateralism and democracy cannot thrive.

Lula noted that BRICS is a significant entity, representing nearly half of the global population and GDP, with key players such as China and India included. As part of the discussions, Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi met with Dilma Rousseff, the president of the New Development Bank (NDB), who mentioned that Uruguay’s accession to the NDB is nearing completion pending approval from local institutions, including Parliament.

However, President Orsi played down Uruguay’s potential integration into the NDB framework, asserting that while Uruguay is accustomed to collaborating through existing mechanisms, the NDB proposal is relatively new. He clarified that this situation does not equate to joining BRICS and emphasized that although Uruguay is not part of BRICS, he believes it is important to explore all opportunities effectively.

Additionally, Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin reiterated the Uruguayan government’s commitment to fostering excellent relations with the United States, which has expressed reservations regarding the expanding influence of the BRICS coalition and its associated countries.

In summary, Brazil’s President Lula has extended an invitation for Uruguay, Colombia, and Mexico to participate in the upcoming BRICS summit, underlining the significance of multilateralism and free trade. President Orsi clarified Uruguay’s hesitant stance on full integration into BRICS and the NDB, while also expressing the importance of maintaining strong ties with the United States. Moving forward, Uruguay is positioned to explore these opportunities while navigating its historical affiliations.

Original Source: www.plenglish.com