Episode 8. Trade Diplomacy
What facilitates growth in trade turnover between the BRICS countries? What helps them create a common economic environment? How does healthy competition foster mutually beneficial cooperation? What experience in trade diplomacy can the partner countries share with each other? We will discuss this and much more with our guests.
In our Moscow studio: Pavel Yakovlev, who served as Chairman of the Russian chapter of the Russia–South Africa Business Council from 2021 to 2026 and CEO of the Ural Automobile Plant; and Elias Monage, Chairman of the South African chapter of the Russia–South Africa Business Council and President of the Black Business Council.
Also participating via video link are Samip Shastri, Chairman of the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (India, New Delhi), and Izabela Rocha-Dashicheva, President of the BRICS+ Forum for Strategic Technologies and an expert in geopolitics and technological sovereignty of BRICS countries and the Global South (Brazil, Brasilia).
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Economy16.09.26BRICS Business Forum participants identify promising areas of cooperation -
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Economy15.09.26Business leaders from Moscow and Chinese province of Hunan discuss trade and economic partnership -
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Economy13.09.26Santosh Mehrotra, Human development economist: "We need to speed up creation of BRICS Pay and increase volume of trade transactions in national currencies" -
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Economy12.09.26Mikatekiso Kubayi, Senior Researcher at University of Johannesburg: from its inception, BRICS has been driven by idea of shaping new global financial architecture -
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Economy11.09.26BRICS countries expand cooperation in science and technology -
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Economy11.09.26Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation: BRICS has developed unique culture of dialogue
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![Ashok Mondal]()
Ashok MondalNID Director"Signing this Memorandum of Understanding between the National Institute of Design (NID) and TV BRICS marks a pivotal milestone in advancing design diplomacy across the BRICS media space. This moment is especially significant as India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit, following India’s assumption of the BRICS chairship under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The partnership directly embodies his call to elevate Indian design standards through 'Design in India, Design for the World'. Through the global reach and broadcast capabilities of TV BRICS, we are excited to showcase the extraordinary visual storytelling, films, and design research of NID’s Film and Video Communication students to an international audience, while also welcoming and screening film works from BRICS network countries at NID Ahmedabad. This reciprocal exchange strengthens our shared commitment to educational, cultural, and artistic collaboration, fostering sustainable connections among global creative communities. NID Ahmedabad looks forward to leveraging this partnership to deepen cross-cultural dialogue, build international expert networks, and unlock transformative opportunities for filmmakers, researchers, and faculty across member nations" -
![Vladimir Putin]()
Vladimir PutinPresident of Russia"We are developing mutual trade, which is growing; it increased by over 12 per cent last year. We have a joint commission working in this sphere. Our focus is on agriculture, shipbuilding, information technology and energy, including nuclear power. We have signed a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Indonesia. Jakarta is our reliable and old friend within ASEAN. We are working together at all international platforms, including the UN" -
![Joao Paulo Capobianco]()
Joao Paulo CapobiancoBrazilian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change"The BRICS countries have a very high level of responsibility because they share an important part of the world's biodiversity, landscapes, populations, food production and water resources. So, we have an opportunity to lead by example. We have our development bank, which can demonstrate and develop new ways of financing programmes. We can reduce the risks for private capital to invest in restoration and efforts to combat desertification" -
![Dilma Rousseff]()
Dilma RousseffPresident of the New Development Bank"India’s BRICS Presidency this year gives special significance to our discussion. NDB stands ready to be a trusted partner in turning commitments on sustainability, clean energy, smart and resilient infrastructure into concrete results on the ground. […] For NDB, mobilising private capital is a strategic imperative. Created by the BRICS founding members, NDB is a bank of the Global South, for the Global South, mandated to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development" -
![Sihasak Phuangketkeow]()
Sihasak PhuangketkeowDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand"BRICS can play a very important role in maintaining the free flow of trade and investment. The group can also be a vehicle for all of us to engage and to look at economic opportunities"
