As a constituent event of the BRICS Political Parties, Think Tanks and Civil Society Organisations Forum, the 14th BRICS Academic Forum was held via video link on 20 May. With “Cementing Intellectual Support for BRICS with the Focus on Common Development” as its theme, the forum was hosted by the China Council for BRICS Think Tank Cooperation (CCBTC).  Speakers at the forum included, among others, Guo Yezhou, president of CCBTC and vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Marco Cavalcanti, deputy president of the Institute for Applied Economic Research of Brazil, Vyacheslav Nikonov, chair of the Board of Russian National Committee on BRICS Research and first vice chairman of the State Duma International Affairs Committee, Samir Saran, president of Observer Research Foundation of India, and Sarah Mosoetsa, CEO of the National Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences and chairperson of South African BRICS Think Tank.

Guo Yezhou first briefed participants on the gist of a letter of congratulations from Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President to the BRICS Political Parties, Think Tanks and Civil Society Organisations Forum. Guo noted that common development represents not only the original aspiration and defining feature of BRICS cooperation, but also the responsibility and mission thereof. BRICS countries need to give priority to development and make every effort to promote stable recovery of the global economy; stay committed to common development and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and stick to innovation-driven development and build high-quality development partnership.

More than 60 experts and scholars from BRICS countries attended the online forum and exchanged views on issues relating to the topics of “Practicing True Multilateralism and Improving the Global Economic Governance System”, “Deepening Pragmatic Cooperation and Implementing the Economic Partnership Strategy”, “Promoting Development and Transformation, Enhancing Development Dynamics, Promoting Scientific and Technological Innovation and Building a Solid Foundation for Modernisation”, “Building Digital BRICS and Realising Digital Transformation”, and “Strengthening Manufacturing Capacity and Improving Industrialisation Level”.  

(International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China)