Beyond the annual BRICS Summits, Ministers and senior government officials, business persons and academics meet on the margins of BRICS Summits and of UN, G-20, IMF and World Bank meetings.
Central Banks and Finance
Following a recommendation made by Brazil at the Yekaterinburg meeting of Foreign Ministers, BRICS Finance Ministers met for the first time in November 2008 in Sao Paulo. The initial aim of this meeting was to formulate a response to the global economic and financial crisis. Since then BRICS finance ministers and Governors of Central Banks have regularly met on the margins of BRICS Summits and G-20, IMF and World Bank meetings.
High Representatives on Security
The BRICS High Representatives Responsible for Security intends to assist in the coordination of a BRICS approach to matters of peace and security. Areas of common concern include cybersecurity, counter terrorism, transportation security, and regional crises.
Foreign Ministers
The BRICS Foreign ministers have been meeting regularly on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly since the year 2006. The purpose of these meetings is to encourage collective bargaining within international organisations such as the UN and to coordinate a BRICS response to matters of common interest.
Agriculture Ministers
The BRICS Ministers of Agriculture and Agrarian Development are tasked with providing guidance to the five countries in the agricultural field.
Trade Ministers
Ministers of Trade in the BRICS traditionally meet on the eve of the Summits. They also meet at the margins of WTO Ministerial meetings. The Contact Group for Economic and Trade Issues (CGETI) works in support of the ministers by proposing institutional frameworks and measures to expand cooperation on economic and trade issues amongst the BRICS.
BRICS Health Ministers
The BRICS Health Ministers meet regularly with the aim of coordinating a BRICS response to prevailing health issues and to cooperate on matters of common concern. The Ministers also meet on the margins of World Health Organization (WHO) meetings.
Business Forum and Council
Established in 2010, the BRICS Business Forum meets on the eve of the Summits, aiming at expanding and diversifying trade and mutual investments, including through the identification of new business opportunities. The BRICS Business Council was established at the fifth BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa. The Council brings together business associations from each of the BRICS with a view to making recommendations on issues of trade and investment related to the business environment.
BRICS Competition Conferences
The first meeting of BRIC Competition Authorities was held in Kazan, Russia on 1 September 2009. The second meeting was hosted by China in Beijing on 20-22 September 2011. The BRICS International Competition Conference is one of the most prestigious conferences in the field of competition law and policy. Conferences follow the Action Plan adopted at the BRICS Leaders Summit, discussing various issues and challenges in competition enforcement in BRICS countries and taking the agenda of cooperation among the BRICS competition authorities forward from previous conferences. During the conferences, discussions focus on issues and challenges in setting up an effective agency, enforcement vis-a`-vis state-owned enterprises, public procurement, and the creation of a competition culture.
Science & Technology Senior Officials
The BRICS Ministers of Science and Technology meet with the intention of encouraging the creation of partnerships and the dissemination of information and technologies for mutual benefit and of establishing a strategic framework for cooperation on science and technology.
Statistical Organizations
The BRICS Joint Statistical Publication, which is produced annually, is compiled by experts from the member countries` statistical agencies.
BRICS Joint Study
The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance of India has coordinated a Joint BRICS Study on the state of the world economy during the next two years and the role of BRICS countries. During the Fourth Summit in New Delhi, the Leaders released The BRICS Report, which focused on synergies and complementarities between the BRICS economies and highlighted their role as growth drivers of the world economy.
Academic Forum and BRICS Think Tank Council
The BRICS Academic Forum, which takes place prior to the Summits, brings together academics from across the five nations. It constitutes an important instance of civil society participation in the BRICS process. The BRICS Think Tanks Council, established in 2013, is responsible for sharing and disseminating information; research, policy analysis and prospective studies; and capacity-building. The Council makes recommendations to the BRICS heads of state.
Urbanisation, social development and population
The BRICS host the annual BRICS Urbanisation Forum and Friendship Cities and Local Government Cooperation Forum, which intends to ensure that key issues of urbanisation are placed on the global agenda of the BRICS member countries. Areas of discussion include building productive and sustainable urban economies and livelihood survival strategies in urban environments. The BRICS Seminar on Population Matters seeks to exchange knowledge and experiences on national population trends, dynamics and policy responses thereto, and on the basis of this exchange to identify areas of cooperation on population-related issues.
BRICS Financial Forum
The BRICS Financial Forum is intended to encourage cooperation between BRICS National Development Banks. Meetings comprise representatives off the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), the Vnesheconombank, the Export-Import Bank of India, the China Development Bank Corporation, and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).
Goa Summit Action plan
We, the Leaders of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, met on 15-16 October 2016 in Goa, India, at the Eighth BRICS Summit, which was held under the theme “Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions”
Goa Summit
We took note of the following events held under India’s BRICS Chairpersonship before the Goa Summit…read more
BRICS Presidency Thematic areas
The thematic group leaders are experts in their respective fields. These are some of the themes the BRICS Civil Forum will explore between January-May 2018:
Food Security and agriculture
Urbanisation, urban property and rural development
Gender and inequality
Tax Justice
Entrepreneurship development
New Development Bank
Sustainable development goals
Inclusive development
Environment and energy (extractivism)
Youth
BRICS Presidency planning
Planning for the BRICS Civil 2018 Presidency is in full swing. In an effort to make great strides for a combined BRICS South Africa 2018 Presidency planning, the South African BRICS Think Tank (SABTT) on 06 September 2017 working in collaboration with the South African Networks of Inequality (SANI) brought together civil society organisations, BRICS Labour and youth under one roof. The long day event was chaired by SANI’s Simon Vilakazi. Attendees exchanged ideas on how they can effectively organise themselves to form the Civil BRICS Forum that speaks in one voice to address South Africa’s agenda as well as echoes Africa’s civil societies wish list and priorities…read more
Xiamen Summit Action plan
We, the Leaders of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, met on 4 September 2017 in Xiamen, China, at the Ninth BRICS Summit. Under the theme “BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future”
Xiamen Summit
BRICS countries are facing new challenges in economic development though our economic prospects and growth momentum remain unchanged. In thiscontext, we are committed to the following steps….read more
10th BRICS Academic Forum, South Africa
Far far away, behind the word Mountains far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmark
Academic Forum and Think Tank Council
BRICS Academic Forum Booklet
