We, the participants of the BRICS academic process and members of the BRICS Think Council from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa attended the 14th BRICS Academic forum on 20 May, 2022. We commend the efforts and contributions that BRICS countries have made over the years to promote cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Focusing on how BRICS countries can build high quality strategic partnership for common development, our discussions and deliberations have been thorough, in-depth, and exhaustive with broad consensus reached.
We are of the view that as global technological revolution and innovation is evolving and new growth drivers are gaining momentum, human society has more means than ever at disposal to create wealth and overcome difficulties to ensure sustainable development. Meanwhile, we have also noted that as the world is undergoing transformation, the international situation becomes more acute and complex, with mounting destabilising factors and uncertainties.
Factors including, among others, the persistent COVID-19 pandemic, unbalanced global economic recovery, growing economic and financial risks, inadequate global governance reform and widening technology gap between developed and developing countries, have posed challenges to the attainment of the global development agenda and aggravated global development imbalance.
We are of the view that development not only provides the key to the solution of major problems, but also constitutes an fundamental basis for improving people’s wellbeing. To realise common development under the new circumstances, BRICS countries must rally more closely, carry forward and reinforce the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, and practice true multilateralism in fostering high-quality partnership that is more comprehensive, consolidated, pragmatic and inclusive and significantly increase the say of BRICS countries in the global development cause.
To this end, it is important for BRICS countries to work together with the rest of the international community including emerging markets and developing countries in particular, to uphold humanity’s common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, pursue a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, safeguard the international order and system underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, ensure fairness and justice in the reform of global governance system, push for an economic globalisation and digital transformation that are more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all, and accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. BRICS countries are playing active role in achieving sustainable development goals: Brazil's Federal Development Strategy for 2020-2031; Russia's food, energy and healthcare security; India's global cooperation through the International Solar Alliance launched at COP 21 followed by the launch of the Green Grid Initiative - One Sun, One World, One Grid, at COP 26; China's Global Development Initiative; South Africa's National Development Plan and Vision 2030.
Based on the afore-mentioned points of view, we recommend the following actions to be taken to build a brighter shared future for the international community based on mutually beneficial cooperation .
Jointly Foster an Open and Inclusive Environment to Unleashing the Potential of the Sustainable Future.
Promote reforms in the global economic governance system and enhance the voice and representation of BRICS countries. Staunch support should be given to open, transparent, fair, inclusive, non-discriminatory and rule-based multilateral trading system, as embodied in World Trade Organisation, with special and differential treatment provisions for developing countries. The normal functioning of a two-stage WTO Dispute Settlement system should be restored and preserved at an early date and necessary reforms should be introduced to elevate the WTO’s authority and effectiveness on the premise that the development interests of developing members are ensured. The IMF should be urged to speed up its quota and governance reform and conclude on schedule the 16th General Review of Quotas by 2023, and the voice of Emerging Markets and Economies should be strengthened in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Macro-policy coordination should be strengthened and major developed economies should be called upon to adopt responsible monetary and financial policies and minimise the impact of COVID-19 on the world economy. Efforts should be made for the maintenance of open, resilient and stable global and regional supply chains. Stronger actions should be taken and the comparative advantages of BRICS countries should be brought into full play for the building of BRICS alliance for industrial cooperation so that BRICS cooperation in industrial, supply and value chains to be further strengthened and to become a new flag-bearer for industrial cooperation.
Support the global climate governance system underpinned by fairness, equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) for climate-resilient and low-carbon development. The objectives, principles and provisions of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, including the principle of common, but differentiated responsibilities should be honored. BRICS countries have already set forth nationally determined contributions reflecting our highest ambition based on national circumstances and capabilities. BRICS countries have taken ambitious actions to address climate change within the sustainable development framework and have achieved great progress. BRICS countries are committed to working towards the success of COP27 with all other Parties in an open, transparent, inclusive and consensus based manner.BRICS countries should be supported by each other in making reasonable nationally-determined contributions (NDCs) in light of their specific conditions and stages of development. Developed countries are urged to fulfil their commitments to provide and mobilize adequate, predictable and timely climate financing and technology to assist developing countries to combat climate change and provide more support in funding, technology and capacity building to developing ones in meeting their NDCs. The low-carbon transformation of the domestic energy mix in BRICS countries should be facilitated. Cooperation on clean energy projects should be conducted to further implement the BRICS Partnership for Urban Environmental Sustainability Initiative and improve the BRICS Environmentally Sound Technology (BEST) Cooperation Platform.
Improve the global public health governance system for the building of a global community of health for all. BRICS countries should uphold the central role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in global public health governance, underscore the importance of observing and improving the International Health Regulations (2005), and support relevant decisions adopted by special sessions of the World Health Assembly. The BRICS countries should support the impartiality of the WHO and strengthen technical multilateral cooperation aimed at enhancing capacities in the fields of responding to major public health emergencies.
Developing countries with weaker public health systems should be supported and assisted in enhancing the resilience of their health systems and their core capacity to handle public health emergencies. A science-based and non-politicized approach should be applied to the origins-tracing of COVID-19,within existing international frameworks including WHO. Extra efforts should be made to promote the waiving of intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines for an equitable global access to safe, effective, quality and affordable vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics. Greater support is required to the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre, and work together to facilitate vaccine-related cooperation in, among others, R&D, production, mutual recognition of standards, safety and efficacy assessment, and market regulation. Efforts must be accelerated to institute a BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for the prevention of mass infectious diseases, strengthen cooperation in the manufacturing and supply of medical and health technologies and products, improve BRICS emergency reserve of public health products, and optimize the global network of emergency supplies. BRICS should initiate a multidisciplinary joint research centre on Epidemics on the study of Pandemics, medicines, diseases, and curing. Furthermore, there should be stimuli for within BRICS investment in health infrastructure.
4.Expand and deepen cooperation in non-traditional security areas for the effective prevention and control of risks and hidden perils to development.
The multilateral biodiversity governance system should be upheld for the early conclusion of an ambitious, pragmatic and balanced Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. BRICS countries should strengthen dialogue, exchange views and cooperate in new fields of global governance. In particular, intensive discussions and cooperation should be carried out in areas such as shoring up a defence against cyber-attacks, ensuring the security of domain name resolution and internet access, and countering large-scale information manipulation that endangers national security. Cooperation should be strengthened on ensuring information security, intelligence information exchanges, personnel training, fugitive repatriation and asset recovery, and technical equipment to forging synergy against transnational crimes including terrorism, drug trafficking and production, human trafficking, cyber-crime, economic crime, illegal trade in wildlife, money laundering, and piracy among others. BRICS countries should promote the implementation of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan among other documents and work towards an expeditious finalization and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism within the UN framework.
Improve BRICS global development partnership network. BRICS could explore the establishment of regular dialogue mechanisms with other emerging markets and developing countries and international as well as regional organizations of which BRICS countries are members, such as UN and G20. BRICS countries could conduct cooperation on sustainable development with international institutions including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), etc. to jointly promote international programmes on poverty reduction and help other developing countries improve their capacity for independent development. The inclusiveness and integrity of G20 is essential for its effectiveness and leading role in overcoming economic and financial problems.
Work Together to Lay the Material Foundation for Sustainable Development for Development through Closer Practical Cooperation.
Work together to intensify policy guidance and support intra-BRICS economic partnership. BRICS countries should fully implement the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025, explore, develop, and propose a performance evaluation indicator system for economic cooperation for the purpose of assessing the progress and effectiveness of cooperation on a regular basis. BRICS leaders should consider the implementation of the Outline for BRICS Investment Facilitation. Effective cooperation should be strengthened in e-commerce, tariff and non-tariff measures reductions and customs clearance efficiency to reduce intra-BRICS trade frictions and lower the cost of trade and investment. BRICS countries should work based on efficient cooperation among border authorities and improved border coordination and management, thus laying the foundation for trade facilitation and sharing of best practices for smart custom. Cooperation on intellectual property rights (IPR) should be deepened by improving the IPR system, and implementing projects in a practical and orderly manner under the BRICS IPR Cooperation Guidelines. BRICS countries should examine the possibility of launching an advisory team to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).The role of the NDB in providing more financing support to MSMEs in BRICS countries should be examined.
Improve infrastructure for a higher level of inter-connectivity. BRICS countries should strengthen cooperation at airports and ports, with a view to making the flow of goods and personnel more efficient and lowering the transportation cost. BRICS Agreement for Cooperation on Mutual Administrative Assistance (CMAA) in Customs Matters should be implemented to ensure in-depth cooperation among BRICS customs in areas such as joint law enforcement, capacity building, and administrative assistance. More cooperation should be conducted on micro and small infrastructure projects to resolve problems of water supply, electricity supply, transportation, communication, healthcare and other pressing difficulties confronting the daily lives of our people especially those in the poor and remote areas. Multilateral financial institutions like NDB and AIIB should be leveraged to increase investment and facilitate the adoption of new regulatory approaches in critical digital infrastructure,such as 5G, big data, block chain, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Work together to safeguard financial stability. A communication mechanism for financial monitoring should be established to offer more information for better prevention of financial risks. Central banks of BRICS countries could explore, research and share national assessments on digital currencies and harmonization of standards. More intra-BRICS discussions on issues like technical route, application scenarios, cross-border payment and risk management should be organized. BRICS countries should explore possibilities of cooperation on local currency settlement and currency swaps in trade and investment, promote the growth of their respective local currency bond markets and enhance the investment and financing functions thereof. BRICS countries should step up cooperation on capital markets and open up fast tracks for bond issuance in relation to BRICS cooperation projects in energy, low-carbon and infrastructure sectors. Cooperation on security and efficiency of cross-border payment systems should be given due attention. The construction of financial infrastructures in BRICS countries should be further strengthened, and mechanisms such as the Contingent Reserve Arrangement mechanism should be fully leveraged to secure financial stability. Intra-BRICS trade in energy, resources and agricultural products and manufactured products should be further expanded.
Strengthen Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Cooperation to build BRICS Partnership for New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR). The BRICS Action Plan on Innovation Cooperation for 2021-2024 should be examined for building technology alliances and collaborative innovation platforms, to provide support to BRICS innovators in carrying out joint STI projects concerning basic research, technology research and development, technology transfer, technology application, as well as mutual recognition of standards and the desirability to harmonize in future. Tax preferential policies for STI should be improved, along with expanded market access to create a more enabling and orderly environment for innovation and entrepreneurship. Dialogue and exchanges should be encouraged on science and technology that promote wellbeing, inclusive innovation, sustainable development, and ethics in science and technology. The BRICS PartNIR initiative should be further strengthened in terms of policy coordination, personnel training, project development and BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center building. BRICS countries are encouraged to provide support for high-tech projects concerning smart manufacturing, energy conservation and environmental protection, clean energy and biomedicine to build synergy between finance, industry, science and technology.
Enhance cooperation on food security and promote sustainable agricultural development. The application of modern information technology in the agricultural sector is an imperative. BRICS countries should enhance the level of investment in food security with expanded intra-group investment in food production and financing channels, coordinate on standards for agricultural products quality test, support the development of agricultural trade, improve the “BRICS Agriculture Information Exchange System”, build a projection and early warning system for agricultural information, and strengthen joint research in key areas concerning food security. BRICS countries emphasize the crucial importance of production, unhindered supply and distribution of fertilizers for ensuring global food security. BRICS countries should promote exchanges and cooperation among agricultural professionals on science and technology, for example, by holding the Seminar on Agricultural and Rural Development & Poverty Reduction, establishing Working Groups on Agricultural and Rural Development, etc.
III. Strengthen the Sharing of Governance Experience and Work Together to Protect People's Wellbeing
Preserve the diversity of civilizations and facilitate exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. BRICS countries uphold the view that no civilization is superior to others as each has its own distinctive features, and the diversity of civilizations is the common asset of mankind, hence independence of countries should be respected. BRICS countries are encouraged and supported to carry out inter-cultural dialogues, draw wisdom from their respective histories and civilizations through leveraging commonalities and complementarities of different cultures, uphold openness and inclusiveness, and find a development path that is in line with their own national conditions. Focusing on improving living conditions and well-being of its people, BRICS governments, political parties, parliaments, think tanks and civil society organizations should strengthen exchanges of governance experience and practice, and share their best practices in alleviating poverty and pursuing common prosperity.
Work together to explore development trends of climate-resilient, low-carbon and digital economy. BRICS members acknowledged that COVID-19 is still affecting countries around the world and impacting the achievement of goals under Agenda 2030. They agreed to work together to ensure that meeting Agenda 2030 targets is not pushed back. In this regard, they agreed to work together to explore development trends of climate-resilient, low-carbon and digital economies. Such an adjustment may include: Redefining SDG-2 to focus of the global antipandemic health care system; Suggest new measures to improve productivity, connectivity and enhance food security (SDG-2); Address the climate change issue (as noted in SDG 7 and 13) to achieve energy security and reduction of costs. Coordinated efforts should be made to encourage and support joint research on development transformation by think tanks and academic community of BRICS countries, with a view to establishing objective indicators for evaluating developing countries’ achievements and endeavors in achieving SDGs.
Expand the provision of public health and basic medical services and bring into play the role of traditional medicine. Acknowledging the important value of digital health in public health emergencies response, the BRICS states should strengthen multilateral cooperation aimed at enhancing capacities in this field. The BRICS countries recognize the role of traditional medicine and welcome the knowledge and best practices sharing in this regard by holding traditional medicine courses and safe and effective application of traditional medicine through scholar visit exchanges and seminars in those BRICS countries, where traditional medicine is acknowledged as a priority constituent of the national legislation healthcare system and national legislation permits. BRICS countries should organize High-Level Meetings on Traditional Medicines on annual basis.
Provide sufficient, open, inclusive education and training resources. Continued support should be rendered to further developing cooperation mechanisms such as BRICS Network University. BRICS countries should work to expand the scale of participation in vocational skills competitions, carry out programmes for the exchange of students and conduct joint training programmes for postgraduates and scientific researchers in areas of shared interests. Within the framework of the United Nations Education 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, BRICS education cooperation should reach out even wider and bring more benefits that enables more developing countries to get onboard.
Enhance the protection of rights of women, youth and the elderly. Efforts should be devoted to making the labor market more inclusive and resilient, especially by attending to and addressing the employment difficulties of women and middle-and-low income youth communities. Education and skills training could be provided for women and youth with the application of digital technologies, together with explorations for a joint programme to improve BRICS citizens’ digital literacy and skills, and expanded access to data resources, with intending to improve people’s digital capabilities at work. The allocation across digital technologies must ensure outcomes are inclusive and contribute to convergence. Therefore, all vulnerable groups, the elderly included, shall be able to enjoy the dividends of the digital economy in an equal manner, including the elderly, as the populations are aging and older people face difficulties to participate in the labor market. Initiate women in science collaborations between BRICS countries.
Work together to address the issue of corruption. Within the framework of the BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group, BRICS countries should strengthen cooperation in areas of anti-corruption law enforcement, international tracking of fugitives and ill-gotten assets, and information exchange and experience sharing in fighting corruption, in accordance with our domestic legal systems and based on consultation and collaboration. BRICS countries should work to curb the spread of corruption and safeguard fairness and justice. Through joint training programmes, the anti-corruption capacity-building of BRICS members should be enhanced and anti-corruption governance with win-win cooperation should be further improved.
Support People-to-People Participation in BRICS Cooperation
Strengthen support for academic exchanges among BRICS members. The BTTC is of the view that any creation of additional think-tanks groups dealing with specific BRICS issues should be linked to the activities of the BTTC. This will optimize resources and better coordinate activities. Greater political and funding support should be provided for BRICS Think Tank Council to further enhance its function of coordination and expand the network of think tank partnerships at both the BRICS and international level. Academic exchanges among BRICS scholars should be supported, by facilitating their visa application and providing funding for foreign visits. BRICS collaboration on research can make a significant contribution to global knowledge. In addition, strengthen cooperation, develop joint research projects, academic exchanges programmes and deepen dialogues between BRICS academics. Explorations will be made on the establishment of the BRICS Academy of Humanities and more joint research projects on addressing social development problems.
Work together to protect the historical and cultural heritage of all our respective countries. and prevent the distortion of histories. Joint actions should be taken to crack down upon the illicit trafficking of cultural properties, facilitate discussion on a potential BRICS cooperation agreement on Cracking Down upon Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Properties, and explore the establishment of a BRICS Coordination Mechanism for the Return of Lost Cultural Properties. Efforts should be made to support and strengthen BRICS cooperation on cultural heritage protection, promotion and exhibition; innovation in cultural heritage protection and restoration technology; world cultural heritage application, protection management and monitoring; protection of endangered cultural heritage; joint archaeology and personnel training, etc. The BRICS Alliance of Museums shall enjoy greater momentum through such means as exhibition cooperation, academic exchanges & research interactions, and mutual visits.
Work together to offer more cultural and entertainment products to the public. The power of digital and communication technologies and market forces, the strength of existing alliances of BRICS cultural institutions, including those of libraries, art galleries, children’s theatres, etc., shall be further leveraged. More cultural exchange programmes on literature, art and theatre could be carried out in various forms, which will help ignite the interest of people of BRICS countries in learning about diverse cultures, thus promoting their mutual understanding and accommodation. NDB should consider opportunities to support joint cultural projects
Work together to promote the development and resilient recovery of green tourism. BRICS countries should promote measures, which can shape a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive tourism sector as envisaged in BRICS Alliances for Green Tourism. BRICS countries should step up assistance for small and micro enterprises and practitioners of the tourism industry to develop the market and share resources. Efforts will be made to strengthen the sharing of tourism-related data, technologies and practical experience to promote the development of the technologically-empowered tourism sector. Tourism facilitation should be further promoted based on travel safety. Tourism products of BRICS countries with distinctive features must be developed through cooperation and support by the NDB. Furthermore, BRICS countries should take measures to ensure adequate protection for all workers and improve the sector’s preparedness for the future crisis.
Deepen cooperation in journalism, media and publications. BRICS countries should strengthen the exchanges and cooperation on the application of new media technologies. Explorations should be made for news-sharing mechanisms among BRICS countries that enable the exchanges of exclusive news coverage, features and columns. Concerted efforts should be made to promote a more thorough and clear coverage of BRICS and other developing countries in the international media urging for timely, accurate and objective, fair and transparent of international journalism.
Boost youth involvement. We call for greater youth involvement in people-to-people and cultural exchanges among BRICS members by continuing to hold the Meeting of BRICS Youth Ministers, BRICS Youth Summit, BRICS Young Scholars Forum, BRICS Young Scientist Forum and BRICS Games, and launching BRICS Young Political Leaders Forum, in order to foster the sense of identity and participation of the “Generation Z” and “Generation Alpha”.
We commend India’s efforts during its BRICS chairmanship in promoting exchanges and cooperation among BRICS think tanks. We acknowledge the productive work the China Council for BRICS Think Tank Cooperation (CCBTC) has done in facilitating cooperation among BRICS think tanks since its chairmanship. We support the CCBTC in fulfilling the remaining items on the agenda for exchanges among BRICS think tanks this year. We sincerely wish South Africa all success in hosting the next BRICS Academic Forum.
The above recommendations are jointly drafted by the members of the BRICS Think Tank Council, namely:
Brazilian Institute of Applied Economics Research
National Committee on BRICS Research (Russia)
Observer Research Foundation (India)
China Council for BRICS Think Tank Cooperation
South African BRICS Think Tank
