BRIC Think Tank Seminar in Brasilia
Think tanks from the four BRIC countries gathered at a news conference before the BRIC Summit on April 16, 2010 in Brasilia. The purpose of the conference was to brain storm on main issues that would be discussed during the BRIC summit.
The specific focus was on the role of the BRIC countries in the post crisis global transformation. The seminar began on April 14, 2010, and lasted till April 15, 2010. During the opening ceremony of the seminar, representatives of the think tanks from the four countries stated, that even though trade among the four has increased significantly, scope for further expansion remains.
The scholars agreed jointly that the international financial crisis offered an opportunity to the four countries as a grouping to build a more inclusive world; wherein the needs of all countries are addressed. Topics such as foreign direct investment and technological innovation were also discussed. Li Yang, the Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) said that in the prevailing form of global governance, decisions regarding solutions to climate change issues and international financial policies are all made unilaterally by the world’s biggest powers.He also expressed his belief that the role of BRIC think tanks will grow along with the deepening of cooperation among their countries. So it was necessary to intensify academic exchanges between these countries and to “carry out targeted collaborative research”.
He further added that there is a need to shift decision making power from developed countries to emerging nations. Zhang Yuyang, from the CASS said that the BRIC countries should discuss their current trade situation so as to find better ways to boost trade. Rathin Roy, the Director for International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth in India said that the gathering of think tanks from the four countries is the most integral aspect of the BRIC grouping, as this facilitates dispatched, informed, evidence based, research based, collective information for the BRIC as a collective body. He further added, “If this does not work, I can promise you the BRIC will be dead”. Vladimir Davydov, an expert from the Russian Academy ofSocial Sciences, said that the four nations will come up with several proposals to reform global financial institutes. He also said that the day would soon come when there will be several solutions that are supported by political will and these will also have the technical possibility of being implemented. Antonio Patriota, the Secretary General of Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the BRIC countries would not ignore the needs of other countries in the world. He also said that the four countries will not repeat the mistakes of the past and would pay attention to the needs of the G 172, or the countries that do not belong to the G 20.