Russia’s Kazan Hosts BRICS+ Cities Forum
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Participants will deal with a raft of issues of mutual interest, including work of the Association of Cities and Municipalities of the BRICS+ members, a new organization established within the forum’s framework.
At least 200 mayors from 21 countries will take part in the International Forum of Cities of the BRICS+ countries, which opens on Friday in Kazan, the capital of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan.
The opening ceremony will see Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov address participants via a video link.
The three-day forum will be attended by the heads of city governments from such countries as China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Turkey, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Chile, Morocco, Indonesia, and Mexico.
The agenda includes a discussion on the creation of a new international organization, the Association of Cities and Municipalities of the BRICS+ countries. Participants will hold its Founding Assembly, elect a leader, determine the location of the headquarters, and outline a work plan.
The gathering will also see a discussion on inter-municipal and international cooperation, which will be moderated by Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik's parent media group.
The forum has been organized by the Kazan City Hall under the aegis of the Russian Foreign Ministry and its Diplomatic Academy as well as the Russian Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States.
