... well as the general objectives in the field of European security formulated officially at the end of 2021. The expansion of BRICS is already becoming Russia’s most important task as this year’s chair of the association. The agenda of Greater Eurasia ... ... inherent in the nature of the CIS, and developing Eurasian economic integration amid new conditions as well as its interaction with ASEAN countries.
Ultimately, Russia is already at the centre of a whole system of international institutions and partnerships,...
... in its institution-building processes and general South-South cooperation structure. Further, the article considered existing cooperation mechanisms that could serve as the basis for institutionalization, such as the BRICS Parliamentary Forum or the BRICS Digital Economy Working Group. The ASEAN transition to a formal international body was considered a potential model, mainly due to its similarities with the BRICS features, such as consensus decision-making processes or a rigid non-interference position. Some relevant input was made when ...
... world in the BRICS/BRICS+ circle, which implies that representative countries will be selected from each of the main regions of the Global South. These criteria potentially can narrow down the circle of countries that may be viewed as the second wave of BRICS to the following emerging economies:
East Asia:
Indonesia
as a G20 member and the largest economy in ASEAN
South Asia:
Pakistan
as the second most significant economic power in South Asia after India
Africa:
Egypt
as one of the leading economic powers in Africa
Latin America:
Argentina
as one of the heavyweights in Latin America
Eurasia:
Kazakhstan
...
... respective regional blocks and their development institutions.
Within such a G20 platform for regional arrangements there could be a prominent place for one of the largest regional integration blocs in the global economy that brings together China, ASEAN and a number of advanced economies - namely the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). A platform for cooperation among regional integration arrangements could also be created on the basis of the BRICS+ format proposed by China back in 2017 - in this case BRICS-plus (at least one of its possible tracks) could bring together the regional integration arrangements in which BRICS countries are members.
Overall, there is tremendous scope to explore ...
... agreements on digital economy, with Singapore as the acknowledged leader. With ASEAN states increasingly involved in economic cooperation both with developed nations (such as interactions along the ASEAN-EU axis) and developing economies (Cambodia as an ASEAN representative taking part in the 2022 BRICS+ summit), this regional integration may become the pivotal factor in coupling integration projects of the North and the South.
At the same time, we should note that the acute North–South competition could require certain consistency on the part ...
... core may involve a sequential addition of one or several countries representing the most significant heavyweights (possibly members of G20 from the Global South). The alternative is the aggregation of the regional integration blocs of all of the five BRICS members – represented by the BEAMS platforms consisting of BIMSTEC, Eurasian Economic Union, the ASEAN-China FTA, Mercosur and the South African Customs Union – leading to the addition of up to 25 members (the 5 times 5 geometric progression – or the 5 BRICS taken to the power of 2) of the BRICS+ circle that are the regional neighbors/partners ...
... 2022) and Argentina (chairmanship in CELAC in 2022) is suggestive of a regional approach to building the BRICS+ platform.
That regional approach was also evidenced in the Forum of political parties, think-tanks and NGOs that was held on May 19th in BRICS+ format - among the countries invited to participate were Cambodia (chairmanship in ASEAN in 2022) as well as Senegal and Argentina that represented Africa and Latin America respectively. In effect China thus presented an inclusive format for dialogue spanning all the main regions of the Global South via aggregating the regional integration ...
... is the African Continental Free Trade Area launched in 2018. Another important development is the rising coordination among the regional integration blocks and the signing of the respective memoranda between the Eurasia Economic Union, MERCOSUR and ASEAN.
The possible scope for the use of national currencies within the R5 paradigm has also been broadened in recent periods via the expansion in the membership of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB). In particular, among the new members of NDB is United Arab Emirates whose currency could be used in mutual settlements within the R5+ circle as well as transactions undertaken by NDB itself. There are other new members ...
... platform of regional development banks could comprise the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA), the SAARC Development Fund (SDF), Mercosur Structural Convergence Fund (FOCEM), China Development Bank (CDB), China-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund (CAF), and the New Development Bank (NDB). As noted before, within this group of development institutions, the NDB could potentially perform a coordinating role with respect to BRICS+ initiatives.
In terms of cooperation between the regional development banks of BRICS countries, in 2016 the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) in collaboration with the New Development Bank, Nord Hydro, and the International Investment Bank (IIB) ...
... China Sea?
Maavak: Negotiations should only involve claimant nations. Non-claimant outside parties have no business in getting involved in regional boundary disputes. All claimant parties -- China and relevant Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries -- can agree to a broad legal framework, which can be refined as negotiations proceed towards a lasting solution.
Until these disputes are territorially resolved through peaceful means at some future date, all claimant nations should ...
