BRICS, a Group with 40% of the World's People, Agrees on a Joint Statement

Negotiators for the BRICS countries reached a joint statement on Saturday as leaders opened their meeting in New Delhi. Leaders were expected to approve it later. Days earlier, the agreement looked uncertain because Iran and the United Arab Emirates, two members of the group, are sharply divided over the conflict in the Gulf.

BRICS is a group of countries that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Together, its members have more than 40 percent of the world's population and almost a quarter of the global economy. Experts said the words about the Middle East were the most important test for the group.

The statement does not name any country. Instead, it says it is against 'unilateral aggression by any country,' meaning an attack by one country acting alone. This wording lets Iran and the UAE accept the same text without blaming each other. India, as the host, led long talks to bring the two positions together. The work was hard because the United States and Iran have attacked each other again, and Houthi rebels in Yemen have become stronger in the Red Sea.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the meeting. He said the Global South, meaning developing countries, is 'in the front row when it comes to global crises, but in the back row when it comes to decision-making.' Foreign policy experts said the statement may not change the world order. But it could show that a broad group of developing nations can unite against policies such as Western sanctions, or economic punishments.