On October 21, Maria Elena Rodriguez, a professor and researcher at the BRICS Policy Center, took part in a webinar entitled “What to expect from the XVI BRICS Summit”, organized by the Geopolitics Observatory.
In her speech, the professor pointed out that Russia has an interest in demonstrating that it has partners with great global influence. According to her, the BRICS, once seen as a group of emerging countries, is now consolidating itself as a bloc of great powers, and this summit is a reflection of a gradual construction of visibility.

In addition, Maria Elena raised the question of how the West will observe the BRICS after the summit, especially given the strengthening of the grouping and the concrete proposals to promote and develop alternative financial instruments and clearing systems to minimize dependence on Western currencies, particularly the dollar, as well as the SWIFT system.