The conference titled “BRICS: Economic and Cultural Cooperation” took place at the Russian House in Cairo on Monday, offering Russian diplomats a direct platform to communicate their perspectives to members of Egypt’s expert community.
“I believe the main benefit of today’s conference lies in gathering esteemed Egyptian experts at our venue, allowing the Russian side to convey its stance on several important political issues directly to a local focus group,” said Marat Gatin, head of the Russian House, in an interview with a TASS correspondent.
Gatin highlighted that the conference attracted notable attendees, including former Egyptian ambassadors to Russia, prominent representatives of civil society organizations, and members of the press. Participants engaged in discussions not only about cooperation within BRICS but also about Egypt's role as a new member of the organization.
According to Gatin, the event was initially planned to feature only two roundtable discussions—one on economics and the other on culture. However, due to overwhelming interest, two additional discussion platforms were organized to accommodate all participants. “We anticipated around 70 attendees overall, but, in my estimation, we welcomed about 100–150 guests throughout the day,” he noted.
Gatin emphasized the significance of the Russian House serving as a venue where Egyptian experts can exchange views on BRICS and discuss its future prospects. “While we’re currently just a platform for exchanging opinions among Egyptian specialists, it’s important that the Russian House is becoming a place for these vital conversations,” he concluded.
The conference was organized by the Egyptian Center for Political and Information Studies “Dialogue” and the Egypt-Russia Association for Culture and Science. The event opened with a welcoming address by Russian Ambassador to Egypt Georgy Borisenko, who summarized Russia’s BRICS chairmanship and outlined the potential for further collaboration within the bloc.
BRICS was established in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. On January 1, 2024, Egypt, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia officially became full-fledged members of the group.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: brics-russia2020.ru/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS