BRUSSELS/NEW DELHI, (Unib Rashid) — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on BRICS to take a clear and unequivocal position against aggression, occupation, settler colonialism and what he described as “settler terrorism,” saying that no human life should be valued differently because of where people live.

Addressing the BRICS gathering in India, Anwar said Malaysia’s position was firmly rooted in respect for sovereignty, protection of civilians and the need to keep critical global economic routes away from armed conflict.

“Malaysia’s position is clear: occupation, or settler colonialism or even more in point ‘settler terrorism’ cannot become destiny and no life weighs less for where it is lived,” Anwar said in a statement shared on social media following his remarks.

Malaysia’s position is clear: occupation, or settler colonialism or even more in point ‘settler terrorism’ cannot become destiny and no life weighs less for where it is lived. Malaysia hopes BRICS will affirm this plainly and unequivocally.#MalaysiaMADANI #DiplomasiMADANI… pic.twitter.com/ETzgdxViVu

— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) September 13, 2026

He said Malaysia hoped BRICS would affirm that position “plainly and unequivocally,” stressing that the grouping’s growing influence should be used to uphold the principles it professes.

Anwar warned that the consequences of conflict in the Middle East were extending well beyond the countries directly involved, with economies around the world facing heightened insecurity, inflationary pressures and uncertainty.

“We cannot speak of inclusive growth and prosperity while war drives energy prices higher and threatens the sea lanes which our economy depends,” he said.

Referring to the conflict in the Middle East, Anwar said Malaysia viewed the situation as having consequences for the wider international economic system.

“Our position is clear. Sovereignty must be respected, civilians protected, and the arteries of the global economy kept out of the battlefield,” he said.

He also called on countries with the greatest capacity to play a stronger role in preventing further escalation.

Focus on Global Economic Inequality

Much of Anwar’s address focused on the economic challenges facing developing countries, including debt distress, uneven progress towards the United Nations 2030 Agenda and limited access to development financing.

He said technological advancement had accelerated rapidly, but economic gains remained uneven across the developing world.

“More than a decade after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, progress remains deeply uneven,” Anwar said, noting that many countries were either facing debt distress or were at serious risk of it.

He argued that no country should be forced to choose between servicing its debts and meeting its obligations to its population.

“Financing must be fit to purpose,” he said, calling for development financing that allows countries to meet basic needs and provide essential public services without accumulating unsustainable debt.

Anwar also highlighted the potential role of commercial capital, new development banks, local-currency settlements and Islamic capital markets in strengthening financing options for developing economies.

BRICS as a Platform for Greater Economic Choice

The Malaysian prime minister said BRICS could provide developing countries with greater economic opportunities through trade diversification and deeper cooperation.

He described BRICS as possessing a significant “geoeconomic advantage” because of the scale of its combined markets, arguing that greater integration could help member and partner economies reduce excessive dependence on traditional Western markets.

“BRICS can widen our choices and strengthen our capacity to shape the world around us,” he said.

Anwar also urged greater cooperation among developing countries in technology, including semiconductors and artificial intelligence, as well as technical training and knowledge-sharing.

On climate policy, he said the green transition should take account of different national circumstances and stages of development, while highlighting technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage.

Malaysia Backs Strategic Autonomy

Anwar concluded by stressing that BRICS’ influence should not be viewed as an end in itself, but rather as a means of advancing principles and giving countries greater freedom to determine their own policies.

“For Malaysia, strategy and autonomy means the freedom to choose our own course and the courage to stand by that choice when it matters,” he said.

As a BRICS partner country, Anwar said Malaysia would seek to contribute to the grouping in that spirit, combining economic cooperation with a stronger emphasis on sovereignty, civilian protection, sustainable development and an international order in which countries have greater freedom to pursue their own paths.urud