This year the South African BRICS Think Tank, under the auspices of the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences will host the 15th BRICS Academic Forum, from the 14th-17th of May in Cape Town, under theme BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism.
Against the backdrop of the theme for 2023, particularly for the global BRICS Think Tank Council (BTTC), partnerships, and the ever-evolving needs within multilateral partnerships, remain essential to deeper cooperation.
BRICS has emerged as a noteworthy bloc, having institutionalised some of its mechanisms and attracted increased support from countries across the Global South.
With growing multipolarity, and increasing accession to BRICS entities, this forum will provide an opportunity for the BTTC leadership to articulate their reflections on the way forward for BRICS, and how the BTTC is best positioned to support member’s respective governments and their citizens.
Since its foundation, BRICS member states have actively participated in international multinational forums and are working to raise the profile of the Global South in international politics. The BRICS alliance maintains its strength and becomes the ‘strategic pillar’ of this new global system.
Its members have established several mechanisms in different sectors – trade, finance, agriculture, diplomacy, culture and education. Among notable achievements towards institutionalisation include the BRICS New Development Bank, based in Shanghai but with an Africa Regional Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. In addition, the BRICS Business Council and the BRICS Think Tank Council were formed. The BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre was also launched during 2022.
This year, the Academic Forum will also discuss levels of women’s participation in peace processes, and identify options for strengthening women’s involvement, at all levels, and across all regions.
The Forum will also interrogate the path ahead for each BRICS member’s attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, identifying best practices from each other as well as areas for cooperation towards SDG attainment.
The BRICS Academic Forum is a platform for sharing knowledge and ideas across various themes and issues. The Forum is a joint initiative of academic institutions from the BRICS nations to fortify conversations amongst academia, policymakers, researchers, and people. Such subjects include multilateralism, trade relations, skilling the workforce, and improving sustainable livelihood and financing within BRICS.
