BRICS justice ministers adopt declaration to boost mediation, arbitration cooperation

BRICS nations on Thursday adopted a declaration aimed at strengthening alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms through capacity building in mediation and arbitration.

The ''Declaration of the Ministers of Justice of the BRICS Countries on Strengthening Alternative Dispute Resolution through Capacity Building in Mediation and Arbitration'' was adopted during a meeting of justice ministers of BRICS nations.

The meeting, held here under India's BRICS 2026 chairship, was convened by the Department of Legal Affairs under the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. Justice ministers and delegations from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates participated in the meeting.

The declaration was finalised by senior officials during a meeting held in Gandhinagar on May 19 and 20 and was agreed to in principle by representatives of BRICS countries, a release from the PIB informed.

''The declaration reflects the member countries' shared commitment to expanding mediation and arbitration frameworks and enhancing cooperation in the field of ADR. Key provisions of the declaration include strengthening capacity-building initiatives for stakeholders such as government legal officers, mediators, arbitrators, judges and legal professionals through training programmes,'' it said.

It also calls for promoting institutional reforms in mediation and arbitration to improve accessibility, efficiency and enforceability of ADR processes, the release added.

''The BRICS nations further agreed to encourage cooperation and exchange of best practices, including use of digital tools and innovation in ADR systems. The adoption of the declaration highlights the grouping's collective vision to make mediation and arbitration more accessible and effective as preferred mechanisms for dispute resolution,'' the release said.

It added that strengthening ADR systems would help reduce the burden on courts and contribute to creating a stable environment for trade and investment across member countries.

The Department of Legal Affairs said it looked forward to continued cooperation among BRICS partners for implementing the commitments under the declaration through follow-up initiatives and collaborative projects focused on capacity building and institutional reforms in ADR.

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