India, Brazil and South Africa have called for comprehensive reforms of global governance institutions, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), while reaffirming their commitment to strengthening multilateralism and advancing the interests of the Global South.
The call was made at the 14th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission Meeting held on September 24 on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York.
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira participated in the meeting.
The three countries said IBSA – comprising three large, pluralistic and multicultural democracies from Africa, Asia and South America – remains an important platform for South-South cooperation and coordination on global issues.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to IBSA’s three pillars: political coordination, trilateral cooperation and cooperation with other developing countries through the India-Brazil-South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation, or IBSA Fund.
They also encouraged support for climate-resilient agriculture projects under the fund.
Call for comprehensive UN Security Council reform
The ministers called for an urgent and comprehensive reform of global governance institutions to provide developing and least-developed countries with greater participation in decision-making processes.
They particularly called for an ambitious reform of the United Nations and its Security Council to make the body more democratic, representative, legitimate and effective and better aligned with contemporary geopolitical realities.
The three countries supported greater participation of developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America in both permanent and non-permanent categories of UNSC membership. They expressed support for the aspiration of African countries for a permanent presence on the Security Council and for Brazil and India to occupy permanent seats.
The ministers expressed concern over the lack of progress in the Inter-Governmental Negotiations on UNSC reform and called for a result-oriented process. They urged the commencement of text-based negotiations in a formal setting during UNGA81, with the objective of achieving comprehensive Security Council reform at an early stage.
They also called for strengthening the authority of the UN General Assembly as the principal deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations, including on international peace and security issues.
On the ongoing selection process for the next UN Secretary-General, the ministers noted that no woman has ever held the position and that representation from Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia has remained limited.
Concern over Middle East tensions and Gaza
The IBSA ministers expressed concern over the continued escalation of tensions in the Middle East and stressed the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and international law in addressing regional conflicts.
They called for restraint and measures to prevent further escalation, while stressing the need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states in the region.
The ministers also highlighted the impact of Middle East conflicts on countries of the Global South, particularly through energy and food security pressures, inflation and fiscal challenges.
They called for uninterrupted global trade and supply chains, security of seafarers and merchant vessels and freedom of navigation in accordance with international law.
On Gaza, the ministers called for implementation of relevant UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, maintenance of the ceasefire and full and unhindered humanitarian access.
They expressed deep concern over continued violence in Gaza despite the October 2025 ceasefire agreement and opposed policies aimed at the forced displacement of Palestinians. They reaffirmed support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
The ministers reiterated their support for a two-state solution, with an independent and viable State of Palestine living alongside Israel in peace and security within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They also expressed support for Palestine’s admission as a member of the United Nations.
Strong condemnation of terrorism
The three countries strongly condemned the killing of civilians in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April 2025 and reaffirmed their rejection of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
They called for zero tolerance towards terrorism and opposed double standards in counter-terrorism efforts, while stressing that all counter-terrorism measures must comply with international law.
The ministers called for concerted action against UN-listed terrorists and terrorist entities, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as their facilitators and proxy groups.
They reiterated their support for the early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the UN framework and called for stronger cooperation against terrorist financing, including lawful and effective exchange of financial intelligence.
The ministers also raised concern over the use of the internet for terrorist propaganda and recruitment and stressed the importance of capacity-building and intelligence cooperation among states.
Reform of global economic institutions
IBSA ministers called for reforms of the Bretton Woods Institutions to make them more representative, inclusive, accountable and responsive to the needs of developing countries.
They stressed the need to increase the voice and representation of developing countries in global economic decision-making and international financial institutions.
The ministers also reaffirmed the importance of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) in poverty reduction, economic growth and development. They welcomed the progress report on implementation of the G20 MDB Roadmap and highlighted the potential of the Capital Adequacy Framework to improve MDB lending capacity and mobilise private-sector participation.
The ministers reaffirmed the G20’s role as a major forum for international economic cooperation and said the voice of the Global South should be further strengthened in global economic governance.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the legacy of the consecutive IBSA G20 presidencies of India, Brazil and South Africa from 2023 to 2025.
WTO reform and opposition to protectionist measures
The three countries reaffirmed their support for a rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory and development-oriented multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core.
They stressed the importance of a fully operational WTO dispute settlement mechanism and reaffirmed the need for special and differential treatment and development flexibility for developing countries.
The ministers expressed concern over unilateral tariffs and discriminatory and protectionist measures, saying such steps risk undermining the multilateral trading system and increasing fragmentation and instability in global markets.
They called for WTO reform through an inclusive, transparent, consensus-based and member-driven process that addresses existing asymmetries and provides developing countries with policy space for their development needs.
IBSA Fund and fight against poverty
The ministers reaffirmed that eliminating poverty and hunger remains a central area of IBSA cooperation.
They agreed to strengthen the IBSA Fund, which has supported 53 projects in 43 countries over the past two decades, particularly benefiting populations affected by poverty, hunger, inequality and vulnerability.
The three countries welcomed the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and noted that all three IBSA members are founding members of the initiative.
They encouraged closer alignment between the IBSA Fund and the Global Alliance to support South-owned, South-led and demand-driven development initiatives.
The ministers also highlighted efforts under South Africa’s G20 Presidency on food security and welcomed initiatives aimed at strengthening resilient and sustainable food systems.
Digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence
The ministers recognised the transformative potential of digital public infrastructure (DPI) and digital public goods in expanding access to services and creating social and economic opportunities.
They called for universal and meaningful digital connectivity and encouraged cooperation on deploying resilient, secure, inclusive and interoperable digital infrastructure based on national priorities.
The three countries also highlighted concerns over the spread of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and other forms of online harm amid the rapid expansion of digital platforms and artificial intelligence.
They stressed the need for greater transparency and responsibility among digital platforms and promoted information integrity.
On artificial intelligence, the ministers recognised its potential to drive economic growth and sustainable development, while calling for international cooperation to make AI safe, secure, inclusive, reliable and accessible.
They highlighted the importance of cooperation in AI science and innovation, energy-efficient AI systems, trustworthy technologies and the use of AI for economic growth and social development, particularly in the Global South.
The ministers congratulated India on the successful hosting of the AI Impact Summit in February 2026 and agreed to pursue further cooperation on AI in the Global South.
Climate action and energy transition
The ministers welcomed the launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility at COP30 and recognised its potential to mobilise long-term, results-based financing for tropical forest conservation.
They congratulated Brazil on hosting COP30 in Belém and acknowledged its role in advancing the priorities of developing countries in global climate negotiations.
India, Brazil and South Africa also reaffirmed their coordination as BASIC partners ahead of COP31. They highlighted cooperation on climate finance, adaptation, mitigation, capacity-building and technology transfer, including work on operationalising the Just Transition Mechanism.
The ministers supported efforts to triple renewable energy capacity in the Global South, double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements and expand sustainable fuels such as biofuels, biogases and low-emission hydrogen.
They stressed the need for greater investment in energy-transition technologies and infrastructure, particularly in developing countries, including through concessional finance, blended finance, risk-mitigation instruments and technology support.
Critical minerals and biodiversity
The ministers recognised the growing importance of critical minerals amid the global shift towards clean energy, digitalisation and industrial innovation.
They supported greater exploration and diversification of critical-mineral resources, markets, processing locations and value chains, particularly in developing countries.
They also backed increased value addition and beneficiation in mineral-producing developing countries and noted India’s proposal for a Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative in the G20 focusing on recycling, urban mining and second-life batteries.
On biodiversity, the ministers reaffirmed the importance of conserving and sustainably using biodiversity and ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.
They welcomed the Kunming Biodiversity Fund and encouraged adequate financial resources, capacity-building and technology transfer for developing countries.
The ministers also took note of India’s initiative to establish an International Big Cats Alliance and encouraged IBSA countries to cooperate in big-cat conservation.
Disaster resilience and sustainable development
The ministers highlighted the growing frequency and intensity of disasters and their impact on sustainable development, particularly in vulnerable developing countries, Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries.
They called for integrated, inclusive and people-centred approaches to disaster risk reduction, including multi-hazard early warning systems and stronger preparedness for earthquakes, extreme heat, floods, droughts, wildfires and desertification.
They supported international efforts to strengthen disaster resilience and welcomed relevant BRICS initiatives on disaster-management early-warning data integration and climate-resilient urban infrastructure.
The ministers also supported India’s proposal to host the Fourth United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in 2030.
Other areas of cooperation
The ministers welcomed progress towards establishing the IBSA Network on Quality Foundational Learning and efforts to create a technical fund to support the network.
They also welcomed developments under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and commended efforts to boost intra-African trade and value-added production.
The ministers recognised the growing importance of addressing international environmental crimes, including wildlife trafficking and illegal mining, and supported stronger global regulatory cooperation.
They also expressed support for initiatives to tackle inequality and took note of proposals by South Africa and Brazil to establish an international panel on inequality.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to women’s empowerment, gender equality and the elimination of discrimination and gender-based violence, while recognising women as agents of peace.
India, Brazil and South Africa also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in education and quality foundational learning.
The ministers of Brazil and South Africa congratulated India on hosting the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13, 2026, and extended full support to India for the remainder of its BRICS chairship in 2026.
The meeting concluded with Brazil and India thanking South Africa for hosting the 14th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission Meeting on the sidelines of UNGA81.
