On June 23, the BRICS Policy Center hosted Ambassador Ana Maria Bierrenbach, responsible for IBSA and sub-sherpa for BRICS. Experts from research centers, civil society organizations, government actors, business associations, as well as researchers and students gathered. Among those present were representatives from CEBRI, IPEA, Fiocruz, REBRIP, Doctors without Borders, INESC, Gestos, Jubileu Sul, Rio de Janeiro City Hall, Brazil-China Business Council, CINDES, Funcex, Plataforma Cipó, Igarapé Institute, Articulação Sul, among others. The meeting was divided in two moments: a political dialogue meeting and a public lecture about Brazil’s agenda for IBSA and BRICS and their main challenges. Topics such as the expansion of BRICS, the health agenda, food security, gender in IBSA, the challenges of de-dollarization, among other issues that will be taken to the next summit of heads of state in South Africa, in August this year, were debated. The event was the first in a series of meetings on IBSA, BRICS and G20, to be continued throughout 2023. The meetings are being co-organized by BPC, the MAPI Professional Master’s Program and the Institute of International Relations of PUC-Rio. MAPI students had the opportunity to follow the policy dialogue and elaborate a position map of the debate. 

Check out the record of the lecture on BPC’s Youtube: