The BRICS summit in Kazan is expected to be one of the largest in Russia's history, both in terms of the number of participants and its significance for global governance, according to Andrey Bystritsky, Chairman of the Development and Support Fund of the Valdai International Discussion Club.
Bystritsky emphasized that this is the first BRICS summit to take place in the expanded “ten” format, with five new members joining the group in 2023. In addition to the original BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—Egypt, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia are now full members. Besides this core group, many other representatives from the Global South and East, interested in cooperation with BRICS, are expected in Kazan. In total, 36 countries and six international organizations will participate, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“This is a very large summit, with a vast number of participants and of great importance. It may well be the most significant summit because it will address a wide range of issues, especially those concerning global governance. The discussion will revolve around creating a system where no single entity holds an advantage over others. There is no doubt that this BRICS summit will be one of the largest in Russia’s history,” said Bystritsky.
He also noted the expectation of intense discussions, both in multilateral meetings and bilateral talks, involving Russian President Vladimir Putin. Topics such as economic development, security, energy, climate, and humanitarian concerns are all set to feature prominently. “BRICS is a global organization by its scale, its number of member countries, and its share of the world's economy and population. So almost every key issue concerning the international community is also relevant to BRICS,” he added.
Bystritsky further highlighted the importance of exploring mechanisms for financial transactions within BRICS. Although no groundbreaking results are anticipated, this area will be an important focus of preparation at the summit, showing the gradual progress being made.
The 16th BRICS summit, which is the key event of Russia’s presidency in the group, will be held in Kazan from October 22 to 24. BRICS was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. As of January 1, 2024, Egypt, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia have become full members. This summit in Kazan will be the first with the participation of these new members. More than 30 countries are expected to attend, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The Kazan summit is poised to be one of the most impressive gatherings in Russia’s history, joining other major international events hosted by the country, such as the 2013 G20 summit and the Russia-Africa summits in 2019 and 2023.
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Photo: Maxim Bogodvid/Photohost-agency brics-russia2024.ru
Based on TASS materials