BRICS Urban Future Forum to explore megacity development in Moscow

The 3rd BRICS Urban Future Forum will take place on September 17–18 at Moscow’s Zaryadye Concert Hall. Natalya Sergunina, Deputy Mayor of Moscow, announced that representatives from leading companies, urban planners, and scholars from over 35 countries—including China, India, Brazil, Serbia, the UAE, and South Africa—will participate in the event.

“Previous forums attracted more than 18,000 participants. International delegations are gathering in Moscow to strengthen partnerships and share best practices in urban development. This year’s central theme focuses on robotic technologies and artificial intelligence,” she noted.

A key highlight of the forum will be the presentation of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award.

The business programme features over 50 sessions. For example, on September 17, experts will explore digital ecosystems, transport services, neural network applications, urbanisation scenarios through to 2050, key skills for professions of the future, and the export potential of domestic R&D innovations.

#NEWS #forum #technology

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Exporting Russian AI solutions is a strategic priority

In 2025, the AI Alliance Russia chairs the secretariat of the AI Alliance Network—an international alliance on artificial intelligence established in 2024 that initially united the BRICS countries. Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of Sberbank’s Executive Board and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the AI Alliance Russia, discussed the group’s objectives and Russia’s role in advancing AI collaboration among the BRICS nations.

“Russian AI solutions hold significant export potential for #BRICS markets, where demand for digital technologies—especially in the public sector—continues to grow steadily. Exporting these solutions represents a strategically vital initiative that can strengthen technological cooperation among partner countries and enhance the global competitiveness of Russian AI innovations,” Vedyakhin emphasised.

#NEWS #AI #technology

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Xi Jinping backs fast-tracking Malaysia's entry into BRICS

Chinese President Xi Jinping has voiced his strong support for expediting Malaysia's full membership in #BRICS. This development was revealed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after his discussions with the Chinese leader in Beijing.

"This is a great honour and a sign of support for our country to continue playing an important role on the world stage," said the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Anwar Ibrahim underscored his appreciation for the genuine friendship and respect demonstrated by Xi Jinping.

"Even though we are a small country, confidence, mutual trust, and shared determination can become a great strength to shape a more peaceful, just, and prosperous future," he added.

#NEWS #China #Malaysia #diplomacy

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Putin to take part in BRICS online summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in the BRICS summit, which will be held via video link, one of these days, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"In just a few days, there will be a BRICS summit via video conference. Putin will participate via video link," he said.

Earlier, media outlets reported that Brazil intends to convene an extraordinary online #BRICS summit. According to Brazilian media, the meeting is scheduled for September 8, and the country's leader, Lula da Silva, intends to discuss with his partners the threats to the multipolar world order and a common response to US tariff measures and sanctions.

#NEWS #Brazil #USA #sanctions #summit

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China's Fujian to host BRICS forum on industrial cooperation

BRICS forum focused on unleashing the potential of international cooperation and on achieving inclusive and sustainable industrialisation will be held from September 16 to 17 in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, according to a press conference on Friday.

Delegates from over 30 countries and international organizations have signed up for the upcoming #BRICS Forum on Partnership on New Industrial Revolution 2025.

Zhu Ke'er, deputy director of the international cooperation department at China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), said that the event will include industrial dialogues, exhibitions and sub-forums, highlighting AI, green and low-carbon development, digital economy and industrial innovation.

#NEWS #China #forum #sustainability

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Word of the Week: Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (IPEA), Brazil

Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (IPEA) is Brazil's Federal Institute for Applied Economic Research. Established in 1964, it now operates under the Ministry for Planning and Budget.

⭐ IPEA's primary mission is to conduct research, providing the government with analytical foundation for developing and evaluating public policies.

🖋️ IPEA focuses on several key areas:
⚪Macroeconomic research and forecasting
⚪Analysis of social policy, regional and urban development, ecology
⚪Research in innovation, regulation, and infrastructure
⚪International relations and global development
⚪Public administration and democracy

📊 Role and recognition:
⚪In 2019, IPEA was honored as the best government think tank in Latin America according to the Global Go To Think Tank Index Report.
⚪IPEA secured a spot among the Top 25 government think tanks worldwide.
⚪The institute plays a vital role in shaping the expert agenda and fostering sustainable development in Brazil.

The IPEA is a national coordinator for Brazil at the BRICS Think Tank Council.

#wordoftheweek

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Congratulations on the Independence Day of the Federative Republic of Brazil

The BRICS Expert Council-Russia extends its warmest congratulations on your Independence Day, proclaimed in 1822. On this meaningful occasion, we express our deep respect for the historical path of your people and admire the resilience and dedication that have enabled you to strengthen your sovereignty and national unity and achieve significant success in socio-economic development.

As an active and respected member of #BRICS, Brazil plays an important role in strengthening multilateral dialogue, developing economic cooperation and promoting sustainable development. Your contribution to fostering international partnership, innovation and social inclusion deserves high praise and serves as an example to other countries.

We wish the people of #Brazil continued peace, prosperity and new achievements on the path of development and cooperation.

Sincerely,
BRICS Expert Council-Russia

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Fabiano Mielniczuk noted the role of BRICS in strengthening a multipolar world

BRICS plays an important role in strengthening regional stability and forming a multipolar world order, said Fabiano Mielniczuk, Professor of Political Science at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil).

The expert spoke at a discussion entitled "Geopolitical Transformations of Latin America: Challenges and Prospects for Russia’s Economic Relations with the Countries of the Region" at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow. According to him, BRICS allows Latin American countries, Russia, China and other partners to jointly address current challenges and opens up new opportunities for equal cooperation.

The political scientist also drew attention to the upcoming #BRICS online summit, which will discuss trade policy, global economic challenges and the strengthening of a multipolar world. Mielniczuk noted that various proposals for addressing these issues may be presented at the online summit.

"It will be interesting to see if we can advance the initiatives put forward during Russia's BRICS Chairship in 2024. This applies to the cross-border payment system, the BRICS grain exchange, and the investment platform," the expert emphasised.

#NEWS #Brazil #summit

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In touch with BRICS: news digest

Breaking down BRICS agenda—key collaborations and new initiatives

✔Lula da Silva plans to propose WTO reform at BRICS Summit

✔Russia redirecting vast quantities of fertilisers to BRICS nations

✔Malaysia draws unprecedented level of investment from BRICS countries

✔BRICS+ AI Success Hub set for launch this November

✔During the visit to China, a working meeting was held between the BRICS Expert Council and CNIE

✔Laos interested in becoming part of BRICS

✔BRICS Legal Studies School 2025 held in Brazil

✔Victoria Panova shares insights at Open Dialogue

✔Myanmar expresses interest in joining BRICS

✔BRICS Urban Future Forum to explore megacity development in Moscow

✔Russian AI solutions hold significant export potential for BRICS markets

✔Xi Jinping backs fast-tracking Malaysia's entry into #BRICS

✔Putin to take part in BRICS online summit

✔China to host BRICS forum on industrial cooperation

#BRICSExpertCouncilDIGEST

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Extraordinary BRICS Summit to Be Held on Monday: What We Know

🟠The event, convened by the Brazilian president, will be hosted in a videoconference format.

🟠Main focus of the discussions will revolve around US trade policy and its repercussions in the world.

🟠The leaders’ round table will take place at 12:00 GMT behind closed doors. It is unlikely that a joint statement will be issued after the meeting, a US media outlet reported, citing a Brazilian official.

🟠Vladimir Putin will take part in the meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed.

🟠 Xi Jinping will deliver an important speech during the event, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

🟠South African president Cyril Ramaphosa is also attending the summit, his press secretary noted.

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Lavrov: BRICS Summit to address response to Western trade actions

The BRICS nations will develop additional measures to counter the West's illegal actions in global trade during an extraordinary virtual summit, announced Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"Today, a virtual #BRICS Summit via video conference will be held, in which our president Vladimir Putin will also take part. The summit is being convened at the initiative of Brazilian President Lula da Silva; it will focus on the necessity to develop additional steps to counteract the West's illegal actions in world trade and global finance, including a response to the so-called tariff war," said the Foreign Minister.

Lavrov emphasised that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, noting: "There are no prohibitions that could not be circumvented, and the prohibitions in this case are overwhelmingly illegitimate, contradicting international law, WTO norms, while actions to circumvent them, accordingly, are based on agreements between the parties without employing illegal methods that harm others."

#NEWS #diplomacy #summit

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Chinese Foreign Ministry called BRICS a positive and stable force in global affairs

Amid growing unilateralism and protectionism worldwide, BRICS has emerged as a positive and stable force in international relations, stated Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian during a Monday press briefing.

"The BRICS cooperation mechanism is an important platform for solidarity and cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries," the diplomat emphasised.

He further noted that "in the face of rising unilateralism and protectionism, #BRICS countries jointly safeguard multilateralism, defend fairness and justice, promote common development, and become a positive and stable force for good in international affairs."

#NEWS #China

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Lavrov: Russia is now Europe’s largest economy by purchasing power parity

The West predicted an economic collapse and Russia’s complete isolation, but statistics now show that Russia has become the world’s fourth-largest economy and Europe’s biggest by purchasing power parity, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"Statistics from Western banks, including the World Bank, indicate that Russia has become the world’s fourth-largest economy by purchasing power parity, after the US, China, and India, and the largest economy in Europe by the same measure," Lavrov emphasised.

The minister stressed that the rhetoric of isolating Russia has proven hollow, and recent events under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (#SCO) and #BRICS have clearly shown that this narrative serves as a convenient pretext for some Western countries to publicly reinforce their position.

#NEWS #economy

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Seminar on Financial Integration in the BRICS Countries

A joint research group from HSE University and the University of Campinas will host a seminar titled "Financial Integration in the BRICS Countries" as part of the International Academic Cooperation project led by the Russian institution. The event will delve into the theoretical aspects of financial integration and evaluate its current level among the #BRICS nations.

🗣️ Format: online
🔥 Date and time: September 10, 4 pm (GMT+3)

📎 Registration is available on the website

#EVENT #finance

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Lula da Silva: BRICS stands as a synonym for defending multilateralism

Amid growing global instability, BRICS is synonymous with the "defence of multilateralism," stated Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

According to him, the Global South possesses all the necessary conditions to propose a different development paradigm and to resist the new Cold War.

"Unilateralism will never lead to the realisation of the goals of peace, justice, and prosperity that our predecessors outlined in 1945 ... #BRICS is already the new name for the defence of multilateralism," said the President of Brazil.

He pointed out that the pillars of the international order established in 1945 are being undermined at an accelerated pace and in an irresponsible manner.

#NEWS #politics

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Iran proposes to create a BRICS mechanism to counter sanctions

During the BRICS Summit, President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian proposed establishing a mechanism to counter unilateral sanctions imposed on member nations.

Pezeshkian stated that the purpose of such a mechanism would be to support #BRICS members, as well as to foster continued economic development in nations facing "unfair political pressure."

In his address, Iranian leader emphasised that the rise of unilateral measures is one of the most significant threats to justice and stability in the modern world order. He argued that such a policy not only endangers the national interests of sovereign states, but also weakens global cooperation and hinders sustainable development.

#NEWS #Iran #sanctions

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Expert highlights political importance of virtual BRICS summit

Monday’s virtual BRICS Summit was of high political importance as it confirmed a new global configuration said Andrey Bystritsky, Board Chairman of the Valdai Discussion Club’s Foundation for Development and Support.

"The BRICS Summit, organised at the initiative of the Brazilian President Lula da Silva, was very important. First and foremost, it was important in terms of politics because the summit in itself is an interesting case," he pointed out.

The analyst pointed to "a new global configuration," with the countries of the Global South discussing their relations with other nations, including the United States. According to Bystritsky, "it was a very important symbol" and "a crucial event that should provoke thought."

In his view, the meeting, which discussed ways to counter sanctions, will undoubtedly impact the international situation. The expert noted that the virtual #BRICS Summit "symbolises crucial changes" in the world.

#NEWS #summit

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Victor Jeifets, Professor at the Russian Academy of Sciences and Saint Petersburg State University, and Chief Researcher at the Institute of Latin America of the Russian Academy of Sciences, shared his perspective on the recent extraordinary BRICS Summit.

"Based on available information, the #BRICS online summit was not intended to produce any major decisions. The closed format and short duration of the meeting—just an hour and a half to two hours—make it practically impossible to agree on significant initiatives unless they were prepared beforehand. Had such decisions been made, they would have been formally announced and the media would have been invited," the expert stated.

Victor Jeifets, pointed out that, in his view, the summit pursued other objectives:

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Emphasising unity

The summit demonstrated that #BRICS members remain united on fundamental issues and are not pursuing separate agreements against the United States. In this regard, the goal appears to have been achieved.

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Diagnosing problems

The speeches, including that of Indonesia’s representative, touched upon various issues such as trade imbalances.

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Offering criticism of international institutions

Participants increasingly stress the importance of international law while also voicing criticism of existing institutions, such as the UN Security Council. The Egyptian leader’s speech was especially critical of the Security Council’s effectiveness and its declining credibility—such strong rhetoric is uncommon at the level of heads of state.

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Reinforcing support for peace initiatives of the Global South

Support was expressed for the ‘friends of peace’ initiative proposed by China and backed by Brazil and several other countries. This reflects the desire of the Global South nations to engage more actively in conflict resolution, not necessarily due to direct interest in specific details, but because they view it as illegitimate to manage such processes solely through Eurocentric mechanisms. This concerns the interests of a broader range of countries, not just Europe.

#EXPERT #OPINION #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #summit

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Roundtable "BRICS Approaches to the Development of Settlements in National Currencies"

On September 26, a roundtable titled "BRICS Approaches to the Development of Settlements in National Currencies" will be held as part of the activities of the International Thematic Group on Economics under the BRICS Network University.

This event will bring together experts and members of the academic community to discuss current trends and key challenges in developing settlements in national currencies within the #BRICS framework.

Topics for discussion:
➖Potential solutions to challenges posed by the current dollar-centric financial system for BRICS countries
➖Strategies to enhance the liquidity of national currencies for BRICS cooperation
➖The potential for establishing a closed multilateral settlement system
➖The role of central bank digital currencies in de-dollarisation

🗣️ Working language: English
🔥 Date and time: September 26, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
📍 Venue: Conference Hall 106, 17с1 Malaya Ordynka Street, Moscow

📎 Registration is available on the website

#EVENT #finance

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