Generation BRICS

China Intensifies Efforts to Promote 'Green' Trade With BRICS and Key Multilateral Platforms

Over 50 countries have already endorsed China's framework initiative on international trade and economic cooperation in the digital economy and 'green' development, Deputy Minister of Commerce Li Chenggang said.

The deputy also noted that:

🟠Beijing diligently meets commitments by progressively reducing tariffs on products listed in the APEC list of environmental goods to below 5%.

🟠The country also incorporated provisions on environmentally clean trade into memoranda of understanding aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation in trade facilitation, signed with countries including South Africa.

🟢 The transition to an ecological model is an "important trend in development and a stimulus for global economic growth," but this process faces challenges due to protectionism by some countries, he stressed.

At the 32nd informal APEC leaders’ meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced plans to digitize cross-border trade and enhance international cooperation in clean industries.

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In touch with BRICS: news digest

Top stories shaping BRICS the previous week—stay informed in minutes

⚪Russia announces Malaysia's readiness to join BRICS

⚪HSE student takes first place in BRICS Marathon League 2025

⚪Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia meets participants of BRICS International School: New Generation

⚪Renovation and revitalisation: the renewal formula for BRICS large cities

⚪HSE University maps the future of cities

⚪Civil society participation in BRICS+

#BRICSExpertCouncilDIGEST

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On October 31, a roundtable discussion titled “Civil Society Participation in BRICS” was held as part of the IX BRICS Conference. The event was organised by the BRICS Study Group at the University of São Paulo and focused on sustainable development, youth diplomacy, and people-to-people cooperation within the BRICS framework.

Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Vice Rector at HSE University, and Sherpa of Russia in W20, outlined the history of the Civil BRICS Track:

The engagement of civil society within such intergovernmental formats has a discernible historical trajectory. Russia pioneered this format in the G7/G8, with a key precedent set in 2006 when Russian NGOs met with all national sherpas.

This legacy led to the first BRICS Civil Forum in 2015, which brought together civil society representatives to discuss priorities and urge governments to address public needs. While governmental support was later secured, the format has faced some challenges, such as its suspension in 2019.

A pivotal achievement came in 2023 with the official launch of the Civil BRICS Council, a permanent mechanism endorsed in the Kazan Declaration. Its legitimacy was cemented in 2024 when a representative addressed BRICS leaders directly.

According to Dr Panova, Civil BRICS is distinctively bottom-up and people-centric, ensuring the group remains a society-driven platform, not a closed diplomatic club. Future priorities must focus on implementation, requiring sustainable projects with tangible impact and robust financing. Expanding engagement to partner countries is also crucial for strengthening the BRICS community.

The roundtable also featured:
Raymond Matlala, Founder and Executive Chairman of the South African BRICS Youth Association (SABYA)
Fabiano Mielniczuk, Professor of Political Science at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) and Research Member of NEBRICS
Ivan Kryazhev, Deputy Director for International Affairs at the “Knowledge Diplomacy” Consulting Centre for NPOs and NGOs at the Russian State University for the Humanities

📎 Follow this link to watch the session video

#NEWS #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia #CivilBRICS

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📆 ANNOUNCEMENT: On November 7 at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Discussion Club will host a presentation of the report titled “Beyond the Dollar: BRICS Initiatives for a Multipolar Financial System”.

The report emphasises the growing dysfunctionality of the US dollar as a universal means of payment, caused by its use as a weapon in the sanctions war, as well as the structural weaknesses of the American economy and the colossal national debt of the United States.

Particular attention is also given to BRICS’ potential in the financial and monetary spheres. In recent years, the use of national currencies in payments between members has increased within the group. Other initiatives are also being discussed. The report examines not only the prospects but also the limitations of creating non-dollar monetary instruments both in BRICS and in other globally dominant countries.

❓How will US President Donald Trump’s policies and high tariffs against BRICS countries impact the de-dollarisation process?
❓How can internal solidarity be strengthened within BRICS?
❓What was the focus of the September extraordinary online BRICS summit, convened at the initiative of Brazil?

Participants in the discussion will attempt to answer these and other questions.

🎙️ Speakers:

🇧🇷 Paulo Nogueira Batista Jr., Vice-President of the New Development Bank (2015–2017); Managing Director for Brazil and Other Countries at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) (2007–2015) (author of the report)

🇿🇦 Rasigan Maharajh, Chief Director, Tshwane University of Technology; Associate Research Fellow, Tellus Institute; Trustee, Canon Collins Trust; Elected Member, Academy of Science of South Africa.

🇨🇦 Radhika Desai, Professor at the Department of Political Studies and Director, Geopolitical Economy Research Group, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Visiting Professor in the Department of International Development at the London School of Economics

Moderator:

🗣 Oleg Barabanov, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club

https://valdaiclub.com/events/announcements/valdai-club-presents-the-report-beyond-the-dollar-brics-initiatives-for-a-multipolar-financial-syste/

Working languages: Russian, English.

ℹ️ Information for the media: In order to get accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our web site. If you have any questions about the event, please call +79269307763.

Links to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, X (formerly Twitter), VK, Telegram and Dzen.

#WorldMajority_WorldOrder #dedollarisation

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1st BRICS STI Framework Programme Innovation Call 2025

One of the BRICS STI Framework Programme a new call for innovation projects: 1st BRICS STI Framework Programme Innovation Call 2025 is established.

The BRICS STI Framework Programme aims to promote research, development and innovation in the main areas of cooperation among the institutions in the consortia which consist of partners from at least two of the BRICS countries.

🔥 Submission deadline: December 3, 2025
📎 For more information, please visit the website

#ANNOUNCEMENT #innovation

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HSE University maps the future of cities

A three-day International Municipal BRICS Forum 2025 opened in St. Petersburg on October 29. The discussion brought together mayors and representatives from Russian and international city administrations, alongside specialists in urban development and digital governance.

Veronika Minina, Vice Rector at HSE University, presented an expert overview from the Faculty of Urban and Regional Development, outlining several key trends the university identifies for the cities of tomorrow. One of the major trends is continued urbanisation. According to the Faculty's research, by 2050, 75% of the global population will live in cities—including both megacities and smaller towns. For these smaller towns, it is vital to maintain their unique character, promote local identity, support small businesses—especially in folk arts and crafts—and stimulate the creative economy.

The International Municipal BRICS Forum is a communication and business platform that unites representatives from over 70 countries and 2,000 cities and regions worldwide. In 2025, the event is being held in St. Petersburg with support from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Moscow City Government, and the St. Petersburg City Government.

#NEWS #HSEUniversity #business

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Renovation and revitalisation: the renewal formula for BRICS large cities

The BRICS nations are connected not just by an ambitious political and economic alliance, but also by a shared urban challenge. Last year, Chinese authorities launched over 60,000 renovation projects to rejuvenate old neighbourhoods and industrial zones, with total investments reaching 2.9 trillion yuan ($408 billion). In India, the redevelopment of Mumbai's Dharavi District—featured in the Slumdog Millionaire movie—could cost up to $2.4 billion. Meanwhile, Moscow authorities have allocated nearly 1 trillion roubles for housing modernisation between 2024 and 2026.

#BRICS megacities have grown under different urban planning traditions, climates, and socio-economic conditions. Yet they share a long history and rapid economic growth, noted Kirill Puzanov, Associate Professor at the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism at HSE University. He added that the key challenge today is to preserve the unique heritage and identity of these cities while pushing forward with large-scale modernisation.

📎 Read more on the Vedomosti website (in Russian)

#NEWS #technology

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Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Meets Participants of BRICS International School: New Generation

The BRICS International School: New Generation, a major educational project focused on building a community of young leaders engaged in international cooperation, officially began in Moscow on October 28. Spearheaded and led by the BRICS Expert Council-Russia based at HSE University, the programme is also supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, MGIMO University, and the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund. 

In 2025, the School gathered over 🕊🕊🕊 participants from 🕊🕊 BRICS and Global South nations—including young researchers, diplomats, entrepreneurs, journalists, and civil society representatives. 
The first day featured a meeting with Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Russia’s BRICS Sherpa. In her opening address, Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Vice Rector at HSE University, and Sherpa of Russia in W20, noted that Sergey Ryabkov's meetings with School participants have become a cherished tradition. She emphasised that the project's mission is to build and consolidate a community of young leaders, while advancing a positive agenda for BRICS. 

In his address, Sergey Ryabkov highlighted that the BRICS International School in Russia is nearing its tenth anniversary and rightly holds a special place among youth cooperation formats. According to the diplomat, BRICS has transformed from an informal circle of like-minded nations into one of the key centres of global partnership, now representing nearly half of the world's population and playing a major role in building a more just and sustainable world order. 

📎 More information on our official website

@bricsinternationalschool
@hse_official
@MFARussia
@mgimo_university
@GorchakovFund

#NEWS #BRICSSchool #BRICSExpertCouncil #BRICSExpertCouncilRussia

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HSE Student Takes First Place in BRICS Marathon League 2025

Mikhail Chagin, second-year student of the Bachelor’s in Information and Communication Technologies and Systems at HSE MIEM, has taken first place in the BRICS Marathon League 2025. He won in the Amateur category for his age group (18–19) and completed two marathons: in Moscow (42.2 km in 03:13:02) and Kazan (42.2 km in 03:17:41). Mikhael spoke with HSE University Life about his impressions of the events and his plans for the upcoming sporting season.

The BRICS Marathon League unites the biggest marathons in Russia (Moscow, St Petersburg, and Kazan). In the near future, it will expand to include marathons in Brazil, India, China, South Africa, and other BRICS countries. The competitions are notable for their exceptional organisation and athleticism, focus on the development of athletics, and emphasis on cultural and tourism exchange. The creation of the league was approved by the Russian Ministry of Sports.

#NEWS #sport

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Russia announces Malaysia's readiness to join BRICS

Malaysia meets the criteria to become a full member of BRICS, stated Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Overchuk. He confirmed that the group's member states are currently discussing Malaysia's intention to join.

"BRICS countries exchange views on global issues and work to align their approaches to the strategic questions shaping our world. In this sense, Malaysia certainly fits the criteria well," he told journalists during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

During the ASEAN events, Overchuk also highlighted the significant potential for cooperation between BRICS and the Association, noting that both frameworks are founded on mutual respect and sovereign equality. He added that #BRICS is already exploring new formats for engagement.

Earlier, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that his country is ready to support Malaysia's potential accession to BRICS as a full member.

#NEWS #Malaysia

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