Moscow Commerce Chamber Proposes Creation of Association of BRICS Megacity Chambers

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - BRICS, originally made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has seen a significant expansion in 2024. Five new countries, namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, joined the bloc to strengthen economic cooperation and amplify the voice of the Global South in international affairs.
Sputnik
The Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has made a case for the establishment of an association of BRICS Megacity Chambers that will contribute to the development and strengthening of multilateral cooperation within the economic bloc, MCCI President Vladimir Platonov told Sputnik on Friday.

"There are many different structures operating within the BRICS framework, each of which is important in its own right. But so far there is no such alliance in the system that would connect the chambers of commerce and industry of its megapolises … We believe that there is a need to create an association of chambers of commerce and industry of the BRICS megacities," Platonov said on the sidelines of a meeting dedicated to the opening of the next BRICS international municipal forum in Moscow in late August.

The new BRICS institutions will become a platform where the authorities and business circles will be able to discuss current issues, identify common economic points of contact, and ink mutually beneficial contracts, Platonov also said.
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"As a result, this will contribute to the overall strengthening of cooperation within the BRICS framework," the MCCI president added.
In December 2023, Moscow was ranked first among 100 megacities in the international rating of BRICS+ cities in terms of human potential, the Russian capital's authorities said.
Moscow managed to take first place on the list thanks to the rapid development of science and innovation, a multilevel education system, high-quality infrastructure, and constantly expanding digitization. The experts have also recognized the Russian capital as the labor market's leader, citing stability and wide employment opportunities as its advantages.