South-South cooperation key to global stability amid US policy shifts

Reinforced South-South cooperation is essential for tackling the pressing challenges of a rapidly changing world, Nkolo Foe, a former professor at the University of Yaounde I, stated.

"The measures taken by President Donald Trump directly impact the Global South, and these measures are likely to destabilise world order and disrupt peaceful coexistence," Foe said.

Trump's policy revolves around reviving the Monroe Doctrine, with one of his key objectives being the dismantling of #BRICS and the Global South.

"Indeed, the countries of the Global South, and particularly Africa, are waking up. The expulsion and closure of French military bases is an extremely important indicator, highlighting Africa's desire and will to complete its independence," he added.

Recalling the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the BRICS summits in 2024, Foe said China-Africa cooperation has yielded many positive outcomes, particularly in infrastructure, telecommunications and green development.

"All these sectors are among the projects and initiatives that benefit Africa," he concluded.

#NEWS #USA #Africa #Summit #politics

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Collaboration between BRICS countries to support networks for women entrepreneurs

Women Entrepreneur Forum (WEFORUM) was held 26-27 March in Minas Gerais, Brazil, gathering over 1,150 participants. The event provided a platform to discuss key issues related to women’s leadership in the economic, innovation, and sustainable business sectors, as well as to promote best practices for gender equality in the corporate environment.

BRICS WBA Global Сhairperson Monica Monteiro, emphasised that the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance works broadly to promote female inclusion in the technology and innovation sectors. She mentioned key initiatives such as education programmes, mentoring, fostering entrepreneurship, strategic partnerships, advocacy for public policies, and international events as the pillars of this collaboration.

"These initiatives not only equip women with the necessary skills but also create a supportive environment for them to thrive and lead innovative projects that contribute to global economic growth," said Monteiro.

Monica Monteiro also underscored the importance of developing transnational mentoring programmes, hosting dedicated networking events, and creating digital platforms that facilitate communication and cooperation among female entrepreneurs from #BRICS countries, which can result in more robust support networks for women entrepreneurs.

#NEWS #technology #innovation

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BRICS countries moved up about 14 places in Global Innovation Index

The Global Innovation Index (GII) for the BRICS 5 countries on average shows a positive trend, moving up by around 14 places in the ranking (Global Innovation Index (GII), n.d.). 

In 2023, China posted the highest ranking within BRICS (12th place, up 23 places since 2013), while India ranked in 40th place (up 26 places since 2013), and Brazil ranked 49th (up 15 places).

The GII is based on a dataset of 81 indicators from international public and private sources and goes beyond traditional innovation metrics. Based on the average value of the #BRICS countries from 2013 to 2023, there was following progress according to WIPO data presented on the graph: 
✔A 4% rise in scores in the Knowledge and Technology Outputs group of indicators
✔Increases of 20% in Human Capital and Research 
✔Increases of 25% in Infrastructure

In Knowledge and Technology Outputs, the average BRICS 5 score is 35.87, in which China took the lead with the highest rank (6). In Human Capital and Research, the average BRICS 5 score is 38.36, while in Infrastructure, it stands at 42.3.

For more insights on digital and innovation-driven development within BRICS, explore the exclusive report "BRICS Cooperation Progress According to BTTC Indicator System" prepared by the BRICS Expert Council—Russia’s experts and published on the official website. 

#ANALYTICS #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertReport #science #innovation 

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Russian Deputy Prime Minister attended the Boao Forum for Asia and had a number of bilateral meetings

On 27–28 March, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk paid a working visit to Hainan, People’s Republic of China, leading the Russian delegation at the annual Boao Forum for Asia.

During his speech at the session Creating a Favourable Environment for Peaceful Development and Safeguarding Common Economic Security, the Deputy Prime Minister focused on the creation of international partnerships aimed at fostering sustainable economic growth in Eurasia. He highlighted efforts to develop reliable transport and logistics networks, as well as an independent payment infrastructure.

Asia is home to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, ASEAN, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and other entities uniting nations across the Global South. Many Asian and Eurasian countries, including the continent’s three largest economies – China, India and Russia – are engaged in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (#SCO) and #BRICS. Russia and China are also members of #APEC.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that bringing together these multilateral efforts would generate momentum for a more sustainable future, advancing social and economic progress, technological innovation, economic interconnectivity and cross-cultural communication throughout Eurasia.

#NEWS #RussiaChina #diolomacy

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Copyright in the digital age with AI is a priority for BRICS culture

In an era where images, videos, and audio can be instantly replicated and shared online, reaching a global audience, maintaining the connection between creators and their content has become a significant challenge. This issue particularly affects artists and creators, who often see their work shared without proper copyright recognition. The Brazilian BRICS Chairship has made this issue a priority for discussion within the Culture Working Group (WG), which held its first online technical meeting this week under the coordination of Brasil’s Ministry of Culture (MinC).

"We are working to advance regulatory mechanisms in the field of digital copyright," explained Bruno Melo, head of the Special Advisory on International Affairs at Brasil’s Ministry of Culture and coordinator of the WG. According to Melo, the issue has been under discussion since Brasil’s G20 Chairship last year and remains a key topic on the agenda. "We hope to strengthen our position within #BRICS, reflecting the Global South’s perspective on this issue," he added. 

As a result of this discussion, the working group is expected to create a catalog of best practices for copyright protection in the digital environment. According to Melo, Brazil has relevant experience to contribute:

"Several bills on AI and copyright are currently under discussion in the National Congress," he noted. 

#NEWS #Brazil #AI #culture

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BRICS debates trade, investment, economic cooperation, and multilateralism

Under Brasil's BRICS Chairship, the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services (MDIC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE) coordinated the online technical meetings of the Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues (CGETI) held this week.

The meetings addressed three priority themes: the negotiation of the #BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy for 2026-2030, the importance of the multilateral trade system, with the World Trade Organisation (#WTO) at its center, and policies to boost data economy among the countries that integrate the economic bloc.

The delegation shared political and practical experiences related to national data governance frameworks and discussed alternatives to improve data economy. The goal is to improve the flows among member countries and reach an understanding about the BRICS data economy governance.

#NEWS #trade #investments

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Russia and China discuss the Korean Peninsula: seeking balance in the region

On 28 March, consultations were held in Moscow between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko and Liu Xiaoming, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Korean Peninsula Affairs. Both sides noted the similarity or alignment of their assessments regarding the causes of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The parties underscored the necessity of resolving issues on the Korean Peninsula through political and diplomatic means, based on mutual respect for sovereignty and adequate consideration of North Korea's security interests.

In this context, it is worth noting that #BRICS nations also advocate for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and support efforts to strengthen international security. They stress the importance of maintaining the central role of the United Nations (#UN) and its Security Council in upholding peace and security under the UN Charter and universally recognised norms of international law. An agreement was reached to continue close coordination, including within the UN Security Council, to prevent further deterioration in the subregion and steer developments towards a positive trajectory.

#NEWS #RussiaChina #security #diplomacy #politics

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The presence of the CIS, EAEU, SCO, ASEAN and BRICS neutralises the Western concept of a unipolar world

The presence of such points of support as the CIS, EAEU, SCO and BRICS offsets the Western concept of a unipolar world, Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavel Utyupin said at the plenary session of the CIS International Economic Forum in Moscow on 28 March.

"In the new system of geopolitical and economic realities, the interdependence and complementarity of the integration associations operating in the Eurasian space are becoming increasingly clear. Today is the time when we can talk about transregional cooperation in Eurasia. The presence of multiple points of support such as the #CIS, #EAEU, #SCO, #ASEAN and #BRICS has already offset the concept of a unipolar world, which is still actively promoted by the collective West," Pavel Utyupin said.

Utyupin also emphasised that the development of integration processes between groups leads to the formation of a multipolar world. Belarus became a BRICS partner country in January 2025 and joined the SCO in July 2024, which made it a member of all these prestigious blocs.

#NEWS #Belarus #diplomacy #politics

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The Russian ambassador expressed the interest of the Bolivian leader to come to Moscow on May 9th

In a conversation with the Russian Ambassador to the Latin American country, Bolivian President Luis Arce confirmed his interest in visiting Russia in the spring of 2025.

"The invitation to visit Russia on May 9 and take part in the celebrations was handed over to President Luis Arce at the end of last year. During a personal conversation, the Head of State confirmed to me that he was interested in visiting our country in the spring. However, we believe that Bolivia is rapidly becoming involved in the electoral campaign, and there is also internal tension. For this reason, the president's schedule is currently busy, to put it mildly. Anyway, we expect that in the next two to three weeks we will receive certainty from our partners on this issue," said Dmitry Verchenko, the Russian Ambassador to Bolivia.

The last time the Bolivian leader paid an official visit to Russia was October 2024. Luis Arce visited Kazan at the end of October and took part in the events of the #BRICS summit under the Russian chairship. Then the country received the status of a BRICS partner.

#NEWS #Bolivia #Summit #VictoryDay

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The EGDI score rose by 80% from 2010 to 2024 for 5 BRICS states

According to the E-Government Development Index (EGDI), which is compiled every two years by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the BRICS nations are demonstrating stable growth in their readiness, capacity, and progress in using e-government for the provision of public services (E-Government Development Index, 2020).

The BRICS 5 countries on average moved up by 28 places in the EGDI from 2010 to 2024, with Brazil moving up from 61st place to 50th, Russia ascending from 59th place to 43rd, India rising from 119th place to 105th, China jumping from 72nd place to 35th, and South Africa rising from 97th place to 40th.

On average, the EGDI score for the #BRICS 5 states rose sharply by 80% from 2010 to 2024 (for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). Over this period:
➖South Africa doubled its score (with a 100% increase) from 0.43 in 2010 to 0.86 in 2024
⚪India jumped 87% (from 0.35 in 2010 to 0.66 in 2024)
⚪China rose 86% (from 0.46 in 2010 to 0.87 in 2024)
⚪Brazil increased 68% (from 0.50 in 2010 to 0.84 in 2024)
⚪Russia posted a 66% increase (from 0.51 in 2010 to 0.85 in 2024).

For more statistics on digital and innovation-driven development within BRICS, explore the exclusive report "BRICS Cooperation Progress According to BTTC Indicator System" prepared by the BRICS Expert Council—Russia’s experts and published on the official website.

#ANALYTICS #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertReport #science #innovation

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Shanghai Summer School (BRICS Program) 2025 to take place from 30th June to 25 July

The Shanghai Summer School (BRICS Program) 2025 by Fudan University aims to provide students and young researchers from BRICS countries an opportunity to better understand BRICS, China, Shanghai and Fudan University. The program provides the participants with around a one-month lectures, consisting of three modules: Global Governance and Cooperation among BRICS, China’s Politics and Diplomacy and Happy in Shanghai.

🔥 Duration: June 30 – July 25, 2025
📍 Place: Handan Campus, Fudan University

More information is available on the website.

#announcement #China #diplomacy #education #youth

BRICS can create a coalition for global negotiations

Igor Makarov, head of the School of world economy, Faculty of world economy and international affairs at HSE University, believes that the BRICS countries have every chance to create a coalition for international negotiations. Such an alliance will allow BRICS to speak with one voice on various global platforms, strengthening their collective voice.

Key points:
✔Coalition potential: BRICS countries share similar views on many issues, which creates favourable conditions for the formation of negotiating coalitions
✔A precedent has been set: the first instance of BRICS speaking with one voice occurred at a conference on biodiversity, demonstrating the potential for coordinated action
✔Opportunities: Makarov believes that the BRICS can strengthen their position in climate negotiations and the World Trade Organisation by speaking with one voice
✔New institutions: BRICS countries could create international institutions in areas where coordination is lacking, such as disaster response

"There is no single international institution that really coordinates the activities of states in dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters. This is a great opportunity that the BRICS countries could utilise," he added.

✔Current discussions: the potential for #BRICS co-operation is being explored at a conference in Shanghai, with more than 60 experts from Russia and China taking part.

The strategy could significantly enhance the BRICS' influence in global governance, especially in areas where member countries share common interests and perspectives.

"It would be very good if the BRICS voice could be heard as a united front in various negotiations, climate talks or World Trade Organisation negotiations," Makarov said.

@igor_a_makarov

#NEWS #EXPERT #HSEUniversity #cooperation

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Russia's contribution to the development of the space industry within BRICS chairship

The recently published report on the results of chairship of Russia in BRICS highlights around 200 events dedicated to the development of the space industry in member countries.

Among them, three key meetings devoted to the space exploration stand out:

🕊 BRICS Heads of Space Agencies meeting, 23 May 2024: Yury Borisov, Ex-Director General of Roscosmos presented an initiative to establish an international system for ensuring space safety. The Russian delegation also proposed the creation of a BRICS Space Council. Participants reviewed a draft Joint Statement of the Heads of #BRICS Space Agencies, calling on the global community to prevent any form of weapon deployment in space.

🕊 10th meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Astronomy, 12–13 September 2024: Participants presented reports on the state of national astronomical infrastructures and discussed the BRICS Intelligent Telescope and Data Network project. They also explored the potential development of the BRICS Astronomy Journal.

🕊 the BRICS Space Industry Conference, 26 November 2024: Participants explored prospects for multilateral cooperation, the formation of technological alliances and the economic impact of space developments, as well as evaluated the scientific, technological, and human resource potential of the expanded BRICS for peaceful outer space endeavors.

@roscosmos_gk @roscongress @MFARussia

#ANALYTICS #space

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Lavrov and Wang Yi reaffirmed the strategic partnership between Russia and China

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks on strengthening the strategic partnership between the countries. The meeting, which was broadcast on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, discussed deepening bilateral relations and coordinating efforts in international organisations.

Lavrov stressed the importance of historical and cultural ties between Russia and China. He expressed confidence that the talks would lead to further coordination of actions within the #UN, #SCO, #BRICS, #G20 and #ASEAN aimed at creating a more just and democratic multipolar world order.

"We will agree on further coordination in the UN, its Security Council, the SCO, BRICS, the G20, in work with ASEAN and other multilateral platforms," Lavrov stated.

Wang Yi emphasised the importance of implementing the agreements reached by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who have already met twice this year. Wang noted that foreign ministries play a crucial role in developing relations and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

This meeting underscores the growing relationship between Russia and China, especially in the context of cooperation within BRICS and their shared vision of global governance.

#NEWS #RussiaChina #cooperation #diplomacy #politics #trade

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BRICS 5 nations achieved 346% growth in Telecommunications Infrastructure Index from 2010 to 2024

5 BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) showed the most dramatic growth in the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index, with an aggregate increase of over 346% from 2010 to 2024. They demonstrated the following progress:
⚪️India boosted its score from 0.06 in 2010 to 0.57 in 2024
⚪️South Africa went from 0.14 in 2010 to 0.89 in 2024
⚪️China jumped from 0.19 in 2010 to 0.90 in 2024
⚪️Russia went from 0.27 in 2010 to 0.95 in 2024
⚪️Brazil rose from 0.25 in 2010 to 0.80 in 2024

The expanded #BRICS, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, boosted their aggregate score in this indicator by more than three times, going from 0.25 to 0.77. Among other things, such growth indicates a significant focus among the BRICS countries on developing ICT infrastructure capacities and digital systems with the goal of expanding the direct involvement of the public in political and economic decisions.

For more statistics on digital and innovation-driven development within BRICS, explore the exclusive report "BRICS Cooperation Progress According to BTTC Indicator System" prepared by the BRICS Expert Council—Russia’s experts and published on the official website. 

#ANALYTICS #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertReport #science #innovation 

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Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

A meeting was held in the Kremlin between Vladimir Putin and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

⚪️Vladimir Putin conveyed his best wishes to the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping

⚪️Xi Jinping is expected to visit Russia for the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War

⚪️Vladimir Putin emphasised that the President of China will be the main guest, providing both sides with an opportunity to discuss the current state of bilateral relations and cooperation on international venues, among which are the #UN – the UN Security Council, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (#SCO), #BRICS, and a number of other platforms where successful joint work is being carried out.

#NEWS #RussiaChina #politics #diplomacy #VictoryDay

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Russia, China should see tech cooperation as priority under Western pressure

Alexander Lomanov, deputy director for research at IMEMO RAS, emphasised the importance of Russia-China collaboration in advanced technologies during the Valdai International Discussion Club conference in Shanghai. He argued that Western sanctions targeting both nations will persist, making technological cooperation a strategic priority.

"The West's sanctions pressure on both Russia and China in the field of advanced technologies will not weaken under any circumstances. The West will not help either Russia or China. Therefore, cooperation on advanced technologies is becoming one of the priority areas for Russia and China," said Lomanov.

Lomanov highlighted the growing capital of mutual trust between Russia and China, which extends from political leaders to elites and citizens. This trust, he noted, could be more valuable than material capital, especially in navigating unpredictable challenges like "black swans" or "grey rhinos."

The expert also addressed the possibility of eased Western sanctions on Russia, suggesting that both countries must continue building joint production and distribution chains regardless of external developments.

This perspective underscores the significance of #BRICS partnerships in fostering resilience against global pressures while advancing mutual technological capabilities.

#NEWS #RussiaChina #cooperation #politics #trade #diplomacy

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BRICS shapes fairer global order

Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council—Russia and Vice Rector at HSE University, recently participated in the Raisina Dialogue in India. On the sidelines of the event in an interview to The Economic Times, India, she highlighted BRICS’ role in fostering a fairer global order.

Victoria Panova emphasised that #BRICS does not aim to replace existing institutions like the #UN but serves as an innovative engine for global development, focusing on inclusivity and equal partnerships without donor-recipient dynamics. Discussions around de-dollarisation reflect national security priorities and financial independence rather than eliminating the US dollar entirely.

While BRICS has expanded its membership, the expert noted that the bloc prioritises preparing new partner countries for integration rather than immediate enlargement.

She also underscored the importance of human-centred development and collaboration across diverse areas, including investment platforms and technological innovation. BRICS is seen as a people-centred institution striving to address global challenges through collective solutions.

"BRICS is for the world, not benefitting at the expense of the rest of the globe, but rather prepared to work together to overcome current barriers and troubles," head of the BRICS Expert Council—Russia concluded.

#EXPERT #OPINION #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #HSEUniversity #cooperation

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