Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: countries outside BRICS to have access to group's payment platforms

Non-BRICS member states will be able to get access to alternative payment platforms being developed in the association. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a press conference following the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

"There are a number of other initiatives that are being considered, including within the BRICS framework, where Brazil has proposed, and such work is now underway, to think about the formation of alternative payment platforms"

Sergey Lavrov Russian Foreign Minister

He noted that the share of national currencies in Russia's trade with CIS countries is 85 per cent, and the figures are growing. The Minister added that there is also a possibility to form independent payment systems, and one of the options is the system of transmission of financial messages of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.

Earlier, the CIS Council of Ministers held a meeting in Almaty in a narrow format chaired by Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, then the meeting continued in an enlarged format.

"The Tajik side outlined the priority areas of its CIS chairmanship this year, focusing on strengthening regional security, expanding economic cooperation, developing transport and logistics ties, as well as deepening humanitarian and cultural contacts between the member states," Muhriddin said.

As a result, the ministers approved a draft decision of the heads of government on the CIS Volunteers Forum and a number of other documents. It is also planned to establish a badge "For the development of tourism in the CIS".

According to the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Sergey Lebedev, the next meeting of the CIS Ministerial Council will be held on 9 October in Dushanbe.

Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry