The BRICS Business Forum concluded in Moscow. On the second day of the forum, which took place on October 18, panel sessions were held featuring business leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Iran, the UAE, and Ethiopia.

During the discussions, the participants addressed prospects for BRICS financial and investment cooperation, international trade, and logistical connectivity among member states. They also explored the development of agribusiness, the strengthening of food security, the sustainable energy transition, and the role of technological cooperation in advancing the ESG agenda*.

Margarete de Castro Coelho, Head of Administration and Finance at the Brazilian Micro and Small Enterprises Support Service (Sebrae), spoke to TV BRICS about Brazil’s proposal to the New Development Bank (NDB) to create special credit lines for small business development.

“Small enterprises are inclusive, diverse, and innovative, and they can play a crucial role in cooperation between BRICS countries. Supporting small businesses is extremely important, as it can accelerate the development of the member states,” she emphasised.

The Sebrae representative also noted that it is a great honour for Brazil to take the BRICS chairmanship next year. She expressed confidence that investment in small businesses would become a key topic at the 2025 BRICS summit.

Following the panel sessions, a ceremony was held to honour the winners of the BRICS International Best Practices Competition—the BRICS Solutions Awards. Svetlana Chupsheva, Director General of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, one of the organisers of the competition, announced the projects that garnered the most interest from the participants.

“The largest number of applications was submitted for technological solutions in artificial intelligence and digital services, followed by projects in new industries and energy. Third place went to biotechnology and public health initiatives,” she reported.

Projects were also showcased in the following categories: “Sky, Space, and Communication Technologies,” “Climate and Environmental Technologies,” “Cognitive Technologies and the Creative Economy,” “Platforms And End-to-End Solutions For Government And Public Administration,” and “Competencies And Staff Development.”

Among the competition winners were representatives from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and the UAE. One of the winners, Joao Pedro Novochadlo from Brazil, told TV BRICS that his company develops technologies for people with visual and hearing impairments. Specifically, they created a device that provides people with disabilities information about city landmarks.

The BRICS Business Forum was held as part of Russia’s presidency in the group. It included participation from over a thousand representatives of the business community from the member states.

Earlier that day, the forum’s plenary session took place, attended by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Video addresses were also delivered by the leaders of Egypt, South Africa, and Iran: Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Cyril Ramaphosa, and Masoud Pezeshkian, as well as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed. The day before, the BRICS Business Council meeting was also held.

*ESG principles refer to a set of criteria focused on environmental, social, and governance aspects in the activities of companies and evaluating their sustainability.

Photo: TV BRICS