The second part of the comment by Igor Makarov, Head of School of World Economy and the Laboratory for Economics of Climate Change at HSE University, and an expert at the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, on the results of the BRICS summit.

"The second area lies at the intersection of climate and biodiversity. The Brazilian delegation is actively championing this connection by promoting the bioeconomy concept. While this term did not make it into the final document, several of its key tenets—such as the essential role of forests in tackling a wide array of environmental challenges—are reflected within it. Furthermore, confirming its commitment to preserving vital ecosystems, Brazil announced the establishment of a Tropical Forest Forever Facility in Belém," the expert noted.

Igor Makarov also emphasised the importance of bloc's institutionalising in his comments.

Lastly, the third area focuses on institutionalising cooperation within BRICS on climate issues. Notably, regulations for the BRICS Climate Research Platform were approved during Russia's Chairship in 2024. The newly established BRICS Laboratory for Trade, Climate Change, and Sustainable Development aims to foster the development of coordinated approaches to trade and environmental policy. Additionally, the adoption of the BRICS Principles for Fair, Inclusive, and Transparent Carbon Accounting in Product and Facility Footprints sets the stage for developing universally recognised methodologies and standards for assessing greenhouse gas emissions across various industries.

It is noteworthy that these climate-related documents are unified under the overarching title "BRICS Climate Leadership Roadmap." At the same time, the leaders' declaration underscores the group's recognition of its unique responsibility in driving the green transformation of the global economy. These important signals illustrate that BRICS is ready to take its collaborative efforts in this area to a new level and assume a more significant role in global climate change regulation," he finalised.

@igor_a_makarov

#EXPERT #OPINION #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #climate

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BRICS not working against other countries

BRICS countries do not respond to threats and do not direct their work against other states, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"BRICS does not respond to threats. BRICS never directs its activities against any countries. That is not the purpose of BRICS," the spokesman emphasised.

According to him, #BRICS was created and is developing so that countries can cooperate in areas of mutual interest for mutual benefit.

Earlier, Trump signed an executive order increasing tariffs on a number of BRICS countries. Thus, from August 1, the US will impose a 25% tariff on imports from India. Tariffs on Brazilian imports will also increase to 50%.

#NEWS #sanctions

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Anna Nesterova, Chairperson of the Russian Chapter of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, on the results of the BRICS summit and the work conducted by the Alliance:

"We hold a positive view of this year's Brazilian Chairship in BRICS, which has been incredibly dynamic and concluded on a high note.

Throughout the year, a series of flagship events unfolded under the BRICS Women's Business Alliance, leading to the implementation of numerous initiatives and projects aimed at fostering women's entrepreneurship. Additionally, recommendations were crafted for the governments of the BRICS nations to help eliminate barriers faced by women across the member nations," she noted.

Anna Nesterova emphasises that the high-level support of the Alliance confirms the correctness of the chosen course and motivates to move forward:

"Since its inception, the Alliance's efforts have consistently been highlighted in the final declarations of BRICS leaders. This year, it is referenced in three key paragraphs of the Document.

We greatly appreciate that our work receives annual support and recognition at such a high level. For us, this serves as a crucial indicator that we are on the right track and provides a significant motivation to continue our progress."

@bricswomen

#OPINION #summit

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Lukashenko: Belarus’ participation in SCO, BRICS is a powerful diplomacy tool

Belarus’ participation in SCO and BRICS is a powerful tool for advancing diplomacy engagement in distant countries, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with heads of Belarus’ diplomatic missions.

"Last year we provided you with additional powerful tools to work in faraway countries: membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and partnership with BRICS. These represent the most significant outcomes of our consistent foreign policy efforts in recent years. Specific strategies for our engagement with these structures have been approved. I expect they will be fully implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government bodies under the government’s supervision," said the head of state.

He noted that economically, SCO and BRICS offer a unique framework for relations with nations shaping and destined to shape the future world order: Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Brazil, South Africa, UAE, Ethiopia, and Egypt.

"We now have a common platform for working with Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand and other BRICS participants. Their political doors are open to us. We must take advantage of this and break into their markets," said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

#NEWS #Belarus #diplomacy

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BRICS Partnership on Carbon Markets to become fully operational in 2025

The BRICS Carbon Markets Partnership will become fully operational in 2025. This was announced by Nikita Kondratyev, Director of the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development.

"On the one hand, the BRICS countries are the largest emitters, on the other —the largest producers of low-carbon technologies. And due to this, the balance of the carbon market can be maintained, among other things. And to solve this problem, to discuss the further modality of functioning of carbon markets in 2024, we launched a partnership on carbon markets within the framework of the Russian presidency of #BRICS. And this year it is already starting its full-fledged work," Kondratiev said.

He noted that Russia sees great attention from partner countries, including BRICS, to the implementation of climate projects and trade in carbon units. According to him, BRICS is currently a unique combination of countries, some of which have significant potential for the implementation of climate projects, while others may be interested in buying carbon units to offset greenhouse gas emissions.

#NEWS #climate

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📖 Word of the Week: BRICS Network University

BRICS Network University is a consortium of higher education institutions from the BRICS nations. This unique initiative is focused on developing, testing, and implementing a model of educational collaboration through a variety of bilateral and multilateral short-term joint programmes, master's and doctoral programmes, as well as collaborative research projects across diverse fields.

🌐NU Establishment

This year, BRICS NU celebrates its 10th anniversary. The Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of the BRICS Network University was crafted by a dedicated working group during Russia's Chairship in #BRICS and was signed in November 2015.

🔥Key Fields of Study

➖Energy
➖Computer science and information security
➖BRICS studies
➖Ecology and climate change
➖Water resources and pollution neutralisation
➖Economics

During the meeting of the BRICS NU International Governing Board on May 16, 2024, the list of training areas was enriched with five new categories:

➖Sustainable agriculture and food security
➖Mathematics
➖Natural sciences
➖Social sciences and humanities
➖Health sciences

#BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #wordoftheweek

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Cuba and its opportunities with the status of partner in BRICS

Cuba's status as a partner state in the BRICS and an observer state in the EAEU opens up new opportunities for this country for mutually beneficial cooperation with the members of these groups, Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko said.

"It seems to me that both #BRICS and #EAEC open for Cuba new opportunities for more favourable, mutually beneficial economic cooperation with the member countries of these groups," Matvienko said during a meeting with the President of the National Assembly of the People's Power of Cuba, Esteban Lazo Hernandez.

Valentina Matvienko recalled that not only Russia actively supported Cuba's accession to BRICS as a partner state, but also the other member states.

#NEWS #Cuba

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In touch with BRICS: news digest

Your quick rundown of the most important BRICS updates

✔Pakistan still interested in joining BRICS

✔China ready to work with BRICS countries to defend multilateral trade

✔BRICS not working against other countries

✔BRICS is not the biggest threat to the US dollar

✔The Russian Federation and Sustainable Development: Overview of Achievements and Initiatives by Regions, Business, and Civil Society

✔Belarus’ participation in SCO, BRICS is a powerful diplomacy tool

✔BRICS Partnership on Carbon Markets to become fully operational in 2025

✔Cuba and its opportunities with the status of partner in #BRICS

#BRICSExpertCouncilDIGEST

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Russia ready to expand ties with Global South

Russia is ready to boost cooperation with countries of the Global South to counter illegal sanctions pressure, official Spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said.

"We believe nothing can be done with the natural course of history by any tariff wars and sanctions. We have plenty of partners, co-thinkers, and allies sharing this approach, among countries of the Global South and #BRICS in the first instance," the diplomat stressed.

She also added that Russia is ready to ramp up cooperation with these countries to counter the unlawful unilateral sanction pressure and shape a genuinely multilateral, fair, and equal world order.

#NEWS #diplomacy

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Malaysia secured nearly $22.45 billion in investments from BRICS countries

In 2024, the trade volume between Malaysia and the BRICS nations reached 818 billion ringgit (approximately 15.41 trillion roubles), accounting for 35.2 percent of the nation’s overall global trade.

During this same period, investments from the BRICS countries totalled 104.9 billion ringgit (around 1.98 trillion roubles). The Ministry highlighted that Malaysia's status as a BRICS partner facilitates its entry into major international markets and helps attract additional capital.

"Although Malaysia is not yet a full member of BRICS, we are already reaping the benefits of our economic ties with these nations, as many of them serve as key trading partners and sustainable sources of foreign investment," Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim remarked.

Earlier, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the country's dedication to the core values that underpin BRICS activities. He also participated in the XVII BRICS Summit, which took place on July 6–7, 2025, in Rio de Janeiro.

#NEWS #Malaysia #trade

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🇧🇷 Brazil DEFIES US dollar dominance

President Lula da Silva says global trade must be free — without Washington’s currency stranglehold. What's driving him?

Tectonic shift in world order

🟠 "President Lula will no longer accept unequal terms of trade and US intervention because the very nature of the international system has irreversibly changed," Dr Anuradha Chenoy, retired professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, tells Sputnik.

🟠 The US has imposed tariffs and pressured Brazil’s Supreme Court to drop cases against ex-President Jair Bolsonaro — Trump’s ally who refused to concede defeat.

🟠 Many Brazilians see it as interference and a threat to sovereignty.

BRICS shield against US hegemony

Brazil has BRICS partners to lean on.

✅ In July 2025, China — bolstered by its economic resilience — signed key cooperation deals with Brazil, covering everything from infrastructure to strategic development.

✅ Brazil-US trade totals around $92 billion, but BRICS trade is far larger. Brazil exports around $121 billion to BRICS — 35% of its total — while importing $88 billion.

✅ With stronger BRICS ties, Brazil has less need to depend on the US, says financial analyst Paul Goncharoff.

De-dollarization accelerates

Lula's push for an alternative currency makes sense — sticking to the dollar means guaranteed loss in value.

"There's really no alternative for the world but to get out of the US dollar trap," Goncharoff stresses.

👉 The shift away from USD is only growing.

👉 PIX, Brazil’s free payment system, bypasses Western firms like Visa and Mastercard — empowering local entrepreneurs, Dr. Vinicius Vieira from the University of São Paulo tells Sputnik.

👉 "And that bothers Trump because those new technologies are a signal that the dollar empire may be coming to an end," the pundit notes.

👉 The US acts desperately to resist its hegemonic decline, but no empire lasts forever. Just as the British pound fell, the US dollar may be facing the same fate.

"The best that [Washington] could do is to offer honest agreements in order to preserve the minimum level of transactions of US dollars, instead of implying sanctions or what now we call a weaponized interdependence," Vieira concludes.

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4th BRICS Summer School South Africa 2025

The 4th BRICS Summer School, hosted by SABYA, is set to unfold under the theme “Building Inclusive Futures: Education, Innovation, and Unity Across the BRICS and Global South.”

This event will bring together distinguished scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss and explore critical issues surrounding education, innovation, and collaboration among the #BRICS nations and the Global South. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and contribute to shaping inclusive future.

⏰ Date: September 3–5, 2025
📍 Location: University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Business School

#ANNOUNCEMENT #EVENT

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Russia and Malaysia consider BRICS a platform for aligning mutual interests

Russia and Malaysia view BRICS as a platform for aligning the interests of the Global Majority, as highlighted in the materials prepared by the Kremlin Press Service ahead of the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim.

The two leaders will engage in negotiations at the Kremlin on Wednesday.

"With Russia assuming the Chairship of #BRICS in 2024, Malaysia has been granted partner status within the group. Both Russia and Malaysia regard BRICS as a unique platform for aligning the interests of leading nations representing the Global Majority and an effective mechanism for multilateral cooperation," the briefing notes state.

#NEWS #RussiaMalaysia #diplomacy

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Victoria Panova took part in the Jakarta Futures Forum

On August 5–6, 2025, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) based in India, alongside the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) based in Indonesia and key regional institutions and governments, co-hosted a two-day global conference titled "Jakarta Futures Forum: Securing Seas, Strengthening Cooperation." The forum featured an inaugural plenary session and five thematic pillars.

Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Vice Rector at HSE University, and Russian W20 Sherpa, served as a speaker in the session "Connecting Commerce: BRICS, Africa, and the Next Frontiers in Global Trade" and took on the role of moderator in the session "Faster Routes, Stronger Trade."

📎 The full agenda can be found on the official website of the forum

#NEWS #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia

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Ivan Ivanov, Director of the Pinsky Centre for General and Extracurricular Education at HSE Institute of Education, shares his insights on the report "Transformation of General Education in BRICS Countries," which was collaboratively prepared by the BRICS Expert Council-Russia and the HSE Institute of Education.

"This report marks the first cross-national study examining the state and evolution of general education systems across the BRICS nations. Involving education researchers from these countries to share insights on practices that foster quality education was a carefully considered choice. The contextual and cultural perspectives presented in this report illustrate how meaningful educational practices can be developed in similar emerging economies, as well as in low- and middle-income nations. It underscores the necessity of tailoring educational policies to local contexts while promoting inclusive systems. The #BRICS nations play a pivotal role in global education, characterised by both shared traits and distinct differences shaped by their unique socio-economic landscapes," the expert noted.

📎 Read full-text report

@inobrhse

#ANALYTICS #report #education

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Members of the Civil BRICS Council met in Jakarta

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, met today the Indonesian Chapter of the Civil BRICS Council represented by Hardiani Uli Silalahi, Vice President of the Indonesian Women’s Congress (KOWANI) and Ah Maftuchan, Executive Director of the Perkumpulan PRAKARSA.

#BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #CivilBRICS

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Digital platforms are reshaping the global economy

Digital platforms are emerging as fundamental components of the modern economic landscape, particularly within the BRICS nations. Yaroslav Kuzminov, Academic Supervisor of HSE University, underscores the need for a balanced approach to regulating these ecosystems, particularly in light of the current monopolisation seen in the United States and China. He believes that the presence of several large players in Russia fosters a healthier competitive landscape.

Kuzminov advocates for pragmatic antitrust measures that account for platforms' systemic impact across all economic sectors. He points to South Korea as a successful example, where an effective equilibrium has been struck between industry self-regulation and government oversight. According to the expert, Russia possesses considerable potential to develop a similar regulatory framework tailored to its unique characteristics.

By establishing clear guidelines and allowing for flexibility in regulation, the platform economy could become a powerful engine of growth, particularly for the #BRICS countries, as long as lessons from other nations are carefully considered.

#NEWS #OPINION

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🚨⚔️Global South strikes back: US tariff threats turning BRICS into full-fledged economic alliance

🇧🇷Brazilian President Lula da Silva’s “explicit call for a collective BRICS response to the latest US tariffs underscores the alliance's increasing cohesion and political assertiveness on the global stage,” Hong Kong-based political and financial Angelo Giuliano told Sputnik, commenting on the bloc’s surprise new show of unity in rejecting Washington’s tariff threats.

While details on specific countermeasures BRICS could take remain unclear, Giuliano can think of a whole series of steps, including:

🟠ramping up trade in local currencies
🟠“strengthening the operational capacity and lending power of the New Development Bank
🟠developing and promoting alternatives to SWIFT
🟠“mounting a coordinated challenge against US tariffs” through the WTO

“Cumulatively, these steps could significantly undermine the US dollar’s global dominance,” weakening Washington economically and “eroding” the “geopolitical leverage” it derives from its financial primacy, Giuliano says.

➕What’s more, the BRICS bloc didn’t arrive to this point overnight, the analyst stressed, pointing to the years the bloc spent on institution-building, and the growing collective economic power of its members, “amplified” even further by the recent expansion.

👉US provocations, from the latest tariffs to the persistent use of sanctions, has served to “galvanize unity within the bloc.”

👉US policymakers, who “significantly underestimated BRICS” for years and dismissing the bloc “as inherently fragmented and incapable of meaningful collective action,” are now finding out the hard way that this is no longer the case.

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