BRICS justice ministers back stronger mediation, arbitration framework

Gandhinagar: Justice ministers of 10 BRICS countries, who met in Gandhinagar on Thursday under India’s chairmanship of the BRICS bloc, adopted a declaration on strengthening alternative dispute resolution (ADR) through capacity building in mediation and arbitration.

The declaration, which was finalized by senior officials of the countries in Gandhinagar earlier in the week, was approved in principle by representatives from BRICS countries, reflecting a shared commitment to expand mediation and arbitration across member countries, an official statement by the Union law and justice ministry said.

Ministers of Justice from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), participated in the meeting.

“Justice ministers of BRICS countries deliberated and discussed various issues. There has been consensus among all member countries that ADR through arbitration and mediation has to be promoted. Best practices in these fields will be shared among member countries,” Union minister of state for law and justice Arjun Ram Meghwal told reporters at the sidelines of the event.

Key elements of the declaration include strengthening capacity building initiatives for stakeholders including govt legal officers, mediators, arbitrators, judges, and legal professionals through training programmes. The declaration also adopted the proposal of promoting institutional mediation and arbitration reforms to enhance accessibility, efficiency, and enforceability of ADR processes.

Meghwal said that BRICS countries have also endorsed India’s Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) which integrates with the judicial framework through the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS).

This digital ecosystem links the police (CCTNS) with courts (e-Courts), jails (e-Prisons), forensic laboratories, and prosecution departments to streamline the justice delivery systems. “Member countries have also adopted a proposal on encouraging cooperation and knowledge-sharing on use of digital tools and innovation in ADR,” he said.

“The adoption of this declaration underscores BRICS members’ collective vision to make mediation and arbitration more accessible and effective as preferred mechanisms for resolving disputes, thereby reducing the burden on courts and fostering a stable environment for trade and investment,” the statement added.