On November 10, a meeting of the BRICS Business Council was held to transfer the mandate of chairmanship of the association from the Republic of South Africa to the Russian Federation in 2024. During the meeting, held via videoconference, President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergei Katyrin accepted the credentials from Ms. Buzi Mabutsa, Chairman of the South African part of the BRICS Business Council.

In his speech, Sergei Katyrin noted the excellent organization of the Annual Meeting and Business Forum by the Republic of South Africa, the rich program of working group meetings, as well as thematic sections and round tables held at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg in August this year. “We highly appreciate the approach of our South African colleagues, who set the task of emphasizing the high role and relevance of the Business Council in promoting the interests of entrepreneurs of our countries and developing trade and economic ties within the association,” said the head of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“All representatives of the Russian part responded to your initiative to hold today’s extraordinary meeting and are ready to take up the baton of chairmanship of the BRICS Business Council,” said S. Katyrin. 

“We will be grateful for your recommendations for the presidency in 2024,” said the head of the Chamber.

In her speech, Ms. Buzi Mabutsa presented the results and achievements of the BRICS Business Council during South Africa's chairmanship over the past year. Representatives of South African working groups spoke at the meeting, talking about cooperation in the field of aviation management, financial services, infrastructure and industrial production. Representatives of India Naveen Kapoor and China Liu Zheying addressed the meeting participants with greetings.

“We in the Russian part of the BRICS BC approach the upcoming chairmanship with great responsibility. “10 years of joint hard work are behind us,” recalled the head of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He assured that the results of the South African chairmanship of the Business Council, as well as the example in organizing the business program, will be developed on the agenda of the “Russian” year.

“We are drawing up a plan for the main events of the BRICS Business Council, after approval of which we will hold a number of internal meetings and, from the beginning of the year, we will launch work through the secretariats and working groups of the national parts of the BRICS BC,” said S. Katyrin.

From January 1, 2024, with the involvement of new colleagues, we are actually moving to a new level of work, primarily due to the effect of “scale”. Now not 5, but 11 states will participate in the work of the Council. At the same time, the number of representatives from national units increased from 25 to 55, said the head of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“In this regard, we believe it is extremely important to competently and timely “immerse” our new colleagues in the current agenda. At the same time, we count on the active participation and support of all representatives in the current composition of the “five,” said S. Katyrin.
 
The President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry thanked Buzi Mabutsa and her team for their joint work as part of the presidency of the BRICS Business Council in 2023 and invited her and all respected colleagues to Kazan - already in October next year.

By Peter Cheremushkin,

Press Service of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry