New Delhi/ Rio de Janeiro: The BRICS Leaders on Sunday issued a strong worded condemnation on the Pahalgam terror attack in India on April 22.In a Joint Declaration the BRICS leaders said, “We express strong condemnation of any acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed. We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, during which 26 people were killed and many more injured. We reaffirm our commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing and safe havens. We reiterate that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group and that all those involved in terrorist activities and their support must be held accountable and brought to justice in accordance with relevant national and international law.”The leaders also urged to ensure zero tolerance for terrorism and reject double standards in countering terrorism. “We emphasize the primary responsibility of States in combating terrorism and that global efforts to prevent and counter terrorist threats must fully comply with their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the purposes and principles thereof, and relevant international conventions and protocols, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, as applicable,” the leaders said as they called for concerted actions against all UN designated terrorists and terrorist entities.The leaders also called for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including its Security Council, to making it more democratic, representative, effective and efficient, and to increase the representation of developing countries in the Council’s memberships so that it can adequately respond to prevailing global challenges and support the legitimate aspirations of emerging and developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America, including BRICS countries, to play a greater role in international affairs, in particular in the United Nations, including its Security Council.The leaders offered full support to India for its BRICS Chairship in 2026 and the holding of the next BRICS Summit in India. In the past, India hosted the BRICS Summit in 2012, 2016, and 2021. The leaders also welcomed India’s candidacy to host COP 33 in 2028.On Palestine, the grouping called the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and underlined the importance of unifying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Palestinian Authority. “We reaffirm the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine,” the declaration said.
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