Think Tank
The Valdai Club and the CITIC Foundation to Discuss the Expansion of the BRICS and SCO
Valdai Club Conference Hall, Tsvetnoy Boulevard 16/1, Moscow, Russia
List of speakers

On September 29 at 11:00 a.m. Moscow Time, the Valdai Club, together with the CITIC Foundation for Reform and Development Studies of China, will host an expert discussion, titled “Prospects and main directions for the expansion of the BRICS and SCO”.

The year of China’s presidency in the BRICS gave a powerful impetus to the development of the BRICS+ format and the interaction of the “five” countries with other developing countries. In June 2022, countries such as Algeria, Argentina and Iran applied to join BRICS. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey announced plans to apply in a similar way, which indicates the growing attractiveness of the association in the global economy.

The SCO has also demonstrated significant dynamism in development: during 2022, the number of developing countries that have stepped up their cooperation with the members of the association has significantly increased. At the summit in Samarkand, the procedure for admitting Iran to the organisation was completed and the status of dialogue partner was granted to Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Belarus has applied to join the SCO as a full member. The SCO is positioned as the main element in the assembly of the integration platform of the developing countries of Eurasia.

What are the prospects for the BRICS+ format? What are the main directions for the expansion of the SCO in the coming years? Are there opportunities to link the BRICS+ and SCO projects? Leading Russian and Chinese experts will answer these and many other questions.

Speakers:
  • Wang Xiangxuei, Deputy Secretary General of the CITIC Foundation for Reform and Development Studies of China
  • Wang Xiaoquan, Executive Director of the Center for Strategic Cooperation Between China and Russia at the CITIC Foundation for Reform and Development Studies of China
  • Ekaterina Arapova, Director, Senior Research Fellow, Sanctions Policy Expertise Center, Institute of International Studies, MGIMO University
  • Kirill Babaev, Acting Director of the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dean of the Faculty of International Economic Relations of the Financial University Under the Government of the Russian Federation
  • Pavel Knyazev, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sous-Sherpa of Russia in BRICS
  • Yaroslav Lissovolik, Programme director of the Valdai Discussion Club
Moderator:

Working languages: Russian, Chinese.

Information for the media: In order to get accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our website or call +79269307763. A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club:  on the websiteTwitterVKontakteTelegram and Yandex.Zen.