Special session of the Civil BRICS Council set to take place in Brazil

On July 4–5, a Special Session of the Civil BRICS Council will take place in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in line with the official calendar of events for Brazil's BRICS Chairship in 2025.

In 2025, BRICS Civil Forum was structured in two phases. The first phase saw around 200 participants from Brazilian social movements and organisations come together to create the Zero Drafts for eight Working Groups: Health, Education, Ecology, Culture, Finance, Digital Technology and AI, and BRICS Institutionalisation and World Peace. These Zero Drafts served as the foundation for the second phase of the Forum, where representatives from social movements and organisations across all #BRICS nations convened online to finalise the documents.

To mark this significant moment, the Brazilian chapter is hosting a Special Session of the Civil BRICS Council, which will be attended by Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Co-Chair of the Russian Chapter of Civil BRICS Council, Russia's W20 Sherpa, and Vice Rector at HSE University.

#CivilBRICS

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SCO & BRICS Chess Superfinal

The SCO & BRICS Chess Superfinal is an international competition held in both online and offline formats, bringing together top players from the SCO and BRICS nations. The tournament follows a 9-round Swiss system format with multiple age categories. Participants will receive certificates, trophies, medals, and valuable prizes.

The event will take place on July 10-13. Invitations to the Superfinal were extended to the winners of regional champions, industry selection finalists, and official #SCO and #BRICS delegations.

#ANNOUNCEMENT

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BRICS Sherpas endorse climate, health, and AI initiatives

A BRICS Sherpas meeting is underway in Rio de Janeiro, serving as the final preparatory stage before the BRICS Summit set for July 6 and 7. From June 30 to July 4, Sherpas will engage in discussions on critical issues related to healthcare, artificial intelligence, and climate change.

✔In the health sector, BRICS ministers have released a final declaration calling for the creation of a Partnership to Eliminate Socially Determined Diseases. Beyond expanding vaccine cooperation, the document positions the alliance among Global South nations as a driver of integrated, cross-sectoral action.

✔In the realm of artificial intelligence, under Brasil’s Chairship, the group is working to build international governance that ensures AI is used ethically and directed toward solving global problems such as poverty, educational gaps, climate change, and diseases.

✔On the climate front, high-level #BRICS representatives signed a document outlining ambitious goals and different paths for implementing climate action in the Global South countries.

#BRICSsherpasmeeting #Sherpasmeeting #AI #health #climate

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On July 3, the Republic of Belarus celebrates its national holiday—Independence Day.

This important occasion embodies freedom, national unity, and the enduring spirit of progress.

As a BRICS partner country, Belarus holds a key role in fostering international relations and cooperation. Russia deeply values the strong bond between our nations and is committed to deepening this partnership in the years ahead.

On this joyful day, we extend our warmest wishes to Belarusian people—for good health, prosperity, and continued success. May your nation forge ahead with confidence, reaching even greater heights on its path forward!

#Belarus

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🇷🇺🇷🇺 BRICS interested in Russian energy despite sanctions – Deputy Energy Minister

BRICS countries are showing growing interest in Russian energy, including oil, LNG, petroleum products, and coal, with oil demand already surpassing available volumes, most of which are already contracted, Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin told Sputnik.

Some of this interest extends to projects under Western sanctions. Marshavin added that BRICS partners are also seeking Russia’s experience in trading under sanctions, noting that in 2022, Russia managed to reorient exports and maintain volumes.

Russia, he said, is ready to help build joint economic infrastructure, including alternative payment systems and logistics, to reduce reliance on Western financial systems and ratings.

The image is AI-generated

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BRICS science diplomacy in the context of Russia’s Chairship in 2024 and BRICS expansion

Under Russia’s Chairship, BRICS fostered favourable conditions for forging new scientific partnerships and strengthening collaboration between Russian institutions and those representing friendly nations. This progress is particularly crucial amid the ongoing hybrid war against Russia, which has long targeted its scientific sector in an attempt to hinder the country’s technological and research advancement.

In the latest issue of the International Affairs journal, experts unveiled a comprehensive study on BRICS science diplomacy, reflecting on the outcomes of Russia's Chairship in 2024 and the group's expansion. Key structures highlighted include the BRICS Network University, the BRICS Think Tanks Council, and the BRICS Global Research Advanced Infrastructure Network.

The study placed a strong emphasis on training talent in the field of BRICS science diplomacy. The authors underscored the vital role that young scientists play in advancing this diplomatic effort, a focus that resonated throughout Russia's Chairship.

"Establishing internship and academic mobility programmes for young scholars from the BRICS nations in Russia, offering grants for collaborative research, and fostering interaction through student scientific societies and associations should become standard practices among the BRICS partner nations.

One notable success story is the BRICS International School—a short-term, specialised scientific and educational programme designed to cultivate young specialists engaged in research pertinent to #BRICS across political, economic, humanitarian, and other relevant fields of interaction among member states. In October 2024, Moscow hosted the eighth edition of this school," the experts shared, highlighting the significance of the BRICS International School.

#ANALYTICS #science

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BRICS Depository

In recent years, the BRICS nations have been actively strengthening their institutional framework, and a pivotal milestone in this endeavour was the establishment of the #BRICS Depository. Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia and Vice Rector at HSE University, presented this platform at the BRICS Academic Forum.

The depository serves as a comprehensive repository for all official documents generated by the group since its inception. It is home to vital information about summits, including endorsed declarations and various official documents organised by themes and years.

The BRICS Expert Council-Russia consistently updates the materials on the platform, ensuring it remains a relevant and useful resource for the academic community. The platform is useful for anyone who is closely following the development of the bloc.

To access the depository, please visit the official website of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia.

#BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia

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📖 Word of the Week: Civil BRICS

The BRICS Civil Track was initiated in 2015 by Russia to foster constructive dialogue between civil society representatives and decision-makers on pressing social issues. These encompass vital areas such as healthcare, education, culture, sustainable development, urbanisation, economics, and finance.

🗣️ Philosophy

The mission of the BRICS Civil Track is to ensure that the voices and priorities of civil society are translated into the BRICS agenda. By doing so, it aims to influence the leaders of the BRICS nations to consider the genuine needs of their populations when making decisions.

🖋️ BRICS Civil Forum

The key event under the BRICS Civil Track is the BRICS Civil Forum, which takes place on an annual basis and is included in the list of official events of the Chairship.

The first forum took place in 2015 in Moscow, initiated by Russia and attended by over 400 civil society representatives, experts, scientists, and journalists.

In 2020, the forum, held in Russia, gathered more than 450 participants from civil society, media, and academia in both online and offline formats. The three-day event featured a diverse range of thematic sessions, including Food and Healthcare, Education and Science, Economic Development in the Digital Era, Information Strategies and Society, Environment, Climate and Energy, Sustainable Cities and Rural Development, Women and Girls, and People-to-People Exchanges.

In 2024, the BRICS Civil Forum welcomed new group members for the first time. During Russia's Chairship, delegates from Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Ethiopia joined a gathering of 650 representatives from over 20 countries in Moscow. The official theme was "Right to Development: Equality, Equity, and Justice." The forum marked a significant step towards institutionalising the civil process and actively engaging member countries in crafting a unified stance on achieving equal, sustainable, and just development.

📊 Civil BRICS Council

In the Kazan Declaration of the BRICS Summit in 2024, the BRICS leaders supported the initiative of the civil society of the BRICS countries to institutionalise the BRICS civil society process. The establishment of the Civil BRICS Council was an important step towards strengthening the voice of civil society in the global arena.

The Russian chapter of the Civil BRICS Council is coordinated by the BRICS Expert Council-Russia.

#wordoftheweek #CivilBRICS

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Today we commemorate a pivotal moment in the history of Russia and Thailand — on July 3, 1897, formal diplomatic ties between our two nations were established. This historic occasion laid the foundation for 127 years of growing partnership, marked by mutual understanding and fruitful cooperation.

As a valued BRICS partner country, Thailand holds special significance in Russia's international relations. We see great potential to further expand our bilateral ties and economic cooperation.

On this meaningful anniversary, we extend our warmest wishes for Thailand's continued prosperity and development. May the enduring friendship between our nations grow even stronger, bringing forth new opportunities for joint initiatives that benefit both our peoples.

#RussiaThailand

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We continue to share quotes about BRICS from our new column. Sergey Ryabkov highlights how the group's informal status serves as a unique advantage.

#BRICSquotes

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Russian experts discuss Brazil's initiatives during meetings of BRICS Civil Council Working Groups

Throughout May 2025, five working groups convened under the BRICS Civil Council umbrella: Health, Culture, Economy and Finance, Ecology and Adaptation to Climate Change, and Education. These sessions, held both in person and online, focused on reviewing draft recommendations prepared by Brazil's civil society for the leaders of the BRICS nations. Experts representing Russia analysed their Brazilian counterparts' proposals, crafting their own adjustments and additions to be submitted for further approval.
These working groups serve as platforms for expert and public dialogue on key areas of cooperation among the BRICS nations. In 2025, Russia is participating in seven such groups, with representatives from specialised organisations, civil activists, and experts contributing to all discussions.

All proposals articulated during the meetings will be consolidated and forwarded to Brazil for integration into the BRICS Civil Forum’s final recommendations.

📎 Read the full article on the official website of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia

#CivilBRICS

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10th NDB Annual Meeting started in Brazil

The Tenth Annual Meeting of the New Development Bank (NDB) Board of Governors takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 4 and 5, 2025.

The founding agreement for the New Development Bank was signed in 2014 during the sixth BRICS Summit. The agreement came into force in 2015, establishing NDB to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in #BRICS and other emerging markets and developing countries.

Hundreds of participants, including high-level government officials, ministers, members of NDB’s Boards, business leaders, development partners, experts and scholars, media and civil society representatives will join the event.

This year’s Annual Meeting will provide an opportunity to celebrate NDB’s achievements in the past decade and reflect on the coming years to transform NDB as a leading provider of solutions for infrastructure and sustainable development in the Global South while fostering cross-learning and becoming a knowledge platform for its member countries and beyond.

#NEWS #NDB

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Brazil is currently hosting the Special Session of the Civil BRICS Council in line with the official calendar of events for Brazil's BRICS Chairship in 2025.

Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Co-Chair of the Russian Chapter of Civil BRICS Council, Russia's W20 Sherpa, and Vice Rector at HSE University, is hosting the session.

📎 Link to the conference

#CivilBRICS

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Dilma Rousseff on large and important projects being financed by the New Development Bank

#BRICSquotes

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Brazil wants to create guarantee mechanisms to increase investments in BRICS

Brazil suggests creating guarantee mechanisms to scale up investments in BRICS countries, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told reporters after the meeting of the Board of Governors of the BRICS New Development Bank.

"The Brazilian side introduced new points into the list of issues we are discussing. Our counterparts suggest creating guarantee mechanisms for #BRICS member-countries. This is also an important area of our joint work. We support this mechanism and believe we should go forward for all mechanisms that will work to the benefit of our countries," the minister said.

The consensus will be found for an agreement on an insurance instrument in conclusion of the meeting of BRICS finance ministers tomorrow, Siluanov noted.

"Other mechanisms proposed by the Russian Federation, which we have just talked about, are in the course of consideration," he added.

#NEWS #NDB

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🇨🇳 Shen Yi, Director of Center for BRICS Studies at Fudan University shared with us his statement regarding the upcoming BRICS summit:

"The 17th BRICS Summit, scheduled to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July 2025, comes at a critical juncture. As the number of formal BRICS members and partner countries continues to increase, the mechanism’s significance in reshaping the international system is growing steadily. The summit is convened at a time when global governance is undergoing profound adjustments in both its driving forces and development models. As the rotating chair for this year, Brazil has proposed “A New Path for the Global South” as the summit’s central theme, reflecting the confidence, capacity, and willingness of BRICS countries to undertake higher-level institutional construction in global governance, financial reform, and South-South cooperation. This agenda not only reflects the growing autonomy of Global South nations, represented by BRICS, but also highlights the skepticism, disparagement, and subtle discomfort expressed by Western media and think tanks—revealing the pressures and challenges BRICS will face as multipolarity continues to gain momentum."

#EXPERT #OPINION #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #summit

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🇲🇨 Indonesian W20 Sherpa, Vice President of the Indonesian Women’s Congress, Member of the Civil BRICS Council Indonesian Chapter Hadriani Uli Silalah marked in conversation the importance of the upcoming BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro for BRICS Civil track:

"As a representative from Indonesia and a member of the BRICS Civil Society Committee, I view the upcoming BRICS Summit in Brazil as a critical opportunity to strengthen inclusive and people-centered cooperation among member states. This year’s Summit holds particular significance, as we collectively face global challenges that demand solidarity, innovation, and a renewed commitment to sustainable development.

Civil society plays a vital role in ensuring that the voices of communities, especially women, youth, and marginalized groups, are meaningfully included in the BRICS agenda. I anticipate that the Summit will place greater emphasis on social justice, equitable development, and stronger South-South collaboration—not only at the governmental level but also among civil society actors.

Furthermore, I hope this Summit will advance concrete mechanisms for civil society engagement within BRICS decision-making, fostering transparency, mutual understanding, and long-term resilience. With Brazil hosting this year, there is strong momentum to further integrate social, environmental, and economic priorities in shaping a fairer global future."

#EXPERT #OPINION #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #summit

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🗣️ Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Co-Chair of the Russian Chapter of Civil BRICS Council, Russia's W20 Sherpa, and Vice Rector at HSE University, from the margins of the Special Session of the Civil BRICS Council:

"Civil BRICS is not just a movement. It's not just a club. It's a family. It's the first time we can say that BRICS is already a different grouping in the global arena. But Civil BRICS is yet another addition to it because it is definitely demonstrating how close our people are and how much we can do together for the good of our people."

📍 Special Session of the Civil BRICS Council take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 4-5 June within the official calendar of events for Brazil's BRICS Chairship in 2025.

#EXPERT #OPINION #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #CivilBRICS

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🇮🇳 Mannat Jaspal, Director & Fellow (Climate and Energy) at ORF Middle East marked the importance of Brazil's Chairships for global climate agenda:

"Brazil’s dual presidency of the COP30 and BRICS presents an opportune moment to foreground the just and equitable energy transitions priorities of Global South countries within the global climate agenda. The BRICS must push for a global financial architecture aligned with the climate and development needs of emerging economies, where the marginal cost of abatement remains the lowest. Key measures to look out for would be - creation of a BRICS-aligned green taxonomy, enhanced cooperation on local currency financing for large scale green infrastructure projects, regional trade mechanisms which help offset some of the currency risk and build resilient intra-BRICS supply chains, and the development of a climate aligned financial risk rating system correcting for embedded biases in existing global frameworks. The BRICS grouping should develop a shared and strong position on climate finance, aligned with the "Baku-Belém Road Map" of mobilizing USD 1.3 trillion by 2035."

#EXPERT #OPINION #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #summit

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