On October 13, 2025 Observer Research Foundation (ORF, India) held a series of events, dedicated to the new development agenda of the Global South in the United Arab Emirates.
The first half of the day included an international conference Rethinking Connectivity New Geographies, New Markets, New Infrastructure at the DP World, Dubai, providing for experts from more than 20 countries the floor to discuss opportunities and limitations for the infrastructural cooperation in the turbulent world. Special attention was paid to energy and digital connectivity, relevant for those states, who are ready to move beyond immediate transportation and logistics issues.
Julia Melnikova, Head of the Asia and Eurasia Program at the Russian International Affairs Council, spoke during the fourth session of the conference — Connectivity Reimagined: Facilitating Trans-Continental Trade and the Future of Logistics — on the current stage of development on the International North – South Transport Corridor as Russia’s flagship connectivity project. She highlighted that, given the difficulty to build global infrastructural chain amidst acute competition among key international players, it is still important to build regional connectivity clusters. This will attend to the immediate national interests of the stated involved as well as set the agenda for the post-conflict period of modernization. Valeriia Gorbacheva, Deputy Head of the BRICS Expert Council — Russia, and Igor Makarov, Head of the World Economy Department at the HSE University, represented Russia at the event as well.
On October 13, 2025 Observer Research Foundation (ORF, India) held a series of events, dedicated to the new development agenda of the Global South in the United Arab Emirates.
The first half of the day included an international conference Rethinking Connectivity New Geographies, New Markets, New Infrastructure at the DP World, Dubai, providing for experts from more than 20 countries the floor to discuss opportunities and limitations for the infrastructural cooperation in the turbulent world. Special attention was paid to energy and digital connectivity, relevant for those states, who are ready to move beyond immediate transportation and logistics issues.
Julia Melnikova, Head of the Asia and Eurasia Program at the Russian International Affairs Council, spoke during the fourth session of the conference — Connectivity Reimagined: Facilitating Trans-Continental Trade and the Future of Logistics — on the current stage of development on the International North – South Transport Corridor as Russia’s flagship connectivity project. She highlighted that, given the difficulty to build global infrastructural chain amidst acute competition among key international players, it is still important to build regional connectivity clusters. This will attend to the immediate national interests of the stated involved as well as set the agenda for the post-conflict period of modernization. Valeriia Gorbacheva, Deputy Head of the BRICS Expert Council — Russia, and Igor Makarov, Head of the World Economy Department at the HSE University, represented Russia at the event as well.
In the evening Abu Dhabi hosted a panel discussion BRICS: Reshaping Global Perspectives in Turbulent Times, where representatives of BRICS member- and partner-states spoke about their national interests in the format as well as possible venues for further development of the grouping.
Participants came from various countries, such as Russia, China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Belarus, Singapore, Uganda, Egypt, Sri Lanka etc.
