The address highlights the role of think tanks: “BRICS+ is a bridge connecting minds before markets.”

TRENDS Research & Advisory participated in the 7th BRICS Media and Think Tank Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under the theme BRICS United: Forging a New Chapter for the Global South. The participation was conducted through its virtual Latin America office, affirming its growing global intellectual presence and its role as an emerging research center that fosters dialogue and mutual understanding.

The forum attracted over 250 distinguished participants worldwide, including senior government officials, media professionals, researchers, and business leaders from BRICS countries and beyond. The discussion focused on three key themes: BRICS cooperation for enhanced development in the Global South, amplifying the “Voice of BRICS” to strengthen the Global South’s influence, and the group’s potential to reshape the future of global governance.

TRENDS participated with a keynote address delivered by Abdulaziz Al Shehhi, Senior Researcher and Deputy Head of the Research Sector at TRENDS, titled The Role of BRICS+ in enhancing cooperation among Global South countries through dialogue, exchange, and shared knowledge.

At the beginning of his address, Al Shehhi emphasized that BRICS+ is not merely a geopolitical bloc but a strategic platform striving to build a more just and balanced world order. He noted the growing importance of BRICS+ as one of the cornerstones of a new global balance in light of the accelerating global transformations.

He explained that Global South economies are no longer mere recipients, but are now leading new pathways in development, diplomacy, and growth. He stressed that BRICS+ provides a cooperative space founded on mutual respect and shared ambitions.

Al Shehhi highlighted that one of the group’s most significant successes is its ability to foster political dialogue among previously marginalized countries in traditional international forums. He pointed out that this dialogue is not limited to conflict resolution or policy coordination, but extends to ensuring the voices of the Global South are influential in shaping the global agenda.

He also addressed the economic dimension, noting that BRICS+ opens broad horizons for trade exchange and market connectivity across Africa, Latin America, and Asia—including the Middle East—thus helping build more resilient and diversified supply chains and enabling Global South countries to negotiate from a position of strength.

BRICS+, he added, has gained increasing presence in multiple fields, including infrastructure investment and sustainable energy cooperation, with expectations of even greater future impact.

Al Shehhi emphasized that sustainable cooperation cannot be built without a strong foundation of shared knowledge, asserting that exchanging experiences and ideas is the cornerstone of any successful development model. He remarked: “Development is not just about resources; it is, at its core, collective thinking and locally derived solutions informed by diverse real-world contexts.”

He then spotlighted the crucial role of think tanks in BRICS+ countries, describing them as the intellectual infrastructure of South–South cooperation. These institutions, he noted, do more than produce studies—they foster mutual cultural understanding, act as strategic platforms for open dialogue, promote long-term thinking, and help shape evidence-based policies.

Al Shehhi called for strengthening the role of think tanks by supporting joint research platforms, developing collaborative publications, and launching youth programs that connect future thought leaders across the Global South. He concluded with a vision for the future: “Let us imagine a world where data and ideas move as freely as goods and capital. That is the true horizon of knowledge cooperation.”

Closing his keynote, he asserted that BRICS+ is more than a bloc—it is a bridge connecting continents, economies, and, most importantly, minds. “Through our continued support for political, commercial, and intellectual cooperation, we contribute to building a deep, sustainable, and impactful partnership.”

The annual BRICS Forum was launched in 2015 as an initiative by China’s Xinhua News Agency, in collaboration with its BRICS partners. Today, it is considered a prominent international platform for promoting friendship, cooperation, and the exchange of trust and knowledge among BRICS nations. The forum also plays a vital role in unifying the media and intellectual voice of the Global South in confronting global challenges and shaping a new phase of intercontinental collaboration.