Plenary Sessions

Key speakers:

Lindiwe SISULU, Minister of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa (2014-2023); Member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress

Alexey VASILIEV, Honorary President, Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Jean-Baptiste TIATHIÉ TINE, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Senegal to the Russian Federation

Vladimir SHUBIN, Principal Research Fellow, Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Honorius Causa, University of the Western Cape

Ezzat Saad EL SAYED, Director, Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs

Ahmed Abdullah ZAYED, Director, Bibliotheca Alexandrina (online)

Rasigan MAHARAJH, Chief Director, Institute for Economic Research on Innovation, Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa)

Andrey MASLOV, Director, Centre for African Studies, HSE University

Leonid ISSAEV, Deputy Director, Centre for Stability and Risk Analysis, HSE University

Description:

Humanity is facing an era of great change, a time for the emergence of a new and fairer multipolar world, and a period for overcoming the insane exploitation of the global majority by the first-world billionaire elite. African countries, as nations of the Global South, have perhaps suffered the most historically from the robbery of their lands by their former colonial masters. It is no accident that 31 of the 37 countries with the biggest debt burdens are in Africa. Yet, what actually is Africa after all? Africa is not simply a continent rich in natural resources. Within the framework of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the individual is the core resource and Africa has the largest percentage of young people in the world. At the end of the 20th century and early 21st century, we saw the focus of the world economy move to Asia. Now, nearly one fourth through the 21st century, Africa is becoming the fastest growing continent, not only in terms of demographics, but also economically and politically. At present, the African Union is a significant global player, while certain African states successfully pursue both regional and international objectives. Nevertheless, Africa will likely become more turbulent in this century as its countries continue to undergo modernization and urbanization (sometimes even in the beginning stages), as well as the formation of ethno-political nations and state development. In turn, this requires in-depth conceptualization of the logic and principles of social, political, cultural and economic development in African nations under ever-changing conditions.

With this in mind, close and deep ties are continuing to be built between Russia and African countries, both economically and culturally. It is vital that Russian-African relations have historically been built upon mutual respect of each other’s culture, traditions and interests, as well as the development of stable and equal partnerships and mutually beneficial projects. Although the Russian Federation engaged less with its African partners in the immediate transitional period after the fall of the Soviet Union, we nonetheless can see the reemergence of our partnership today. Through this cooperation, we can best tap each other’s strengths in order to build thriving societies in our countries, while also becoming pillars of a fairer global order.

Discussants:

• Stanislav BLIZNYUK, Chairman – Management Board, Tinkoff Bank;
• Grigory ANDRUSCHAK, Vice Rector, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology;
• Dmitry DAGAEV, Vice Rector, HSE University;
• Alexander POVALKO, Advisor to the Rector, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology;
• Evgeniy TERENTEV, Director, Institute of Education, HSE University.

Description:

What is the STEM concept of education? It’s an approach, whereby students focus on studying the disciplines which are based on applied analysis and empirical testing of various hypotheses. Nevertheless, this approach doesn’t only concern “verifiable” science, but also the possibility of expanding critical thinking skills, the ability to work with Big Data and preparing learners to face practical problems and business objectives in their pursuits after university.

Issues for discussion:

• A scientific approach to business
• How can a “business-applied science-fundamental science” chain be developed?
• Does Russia need STEM universities and what the future have in store for academic institutions?

Welcoming address: Nikita ANISIMOV, Rector, HSE University

Key Speakers:

Sergei RYABKOV, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Russian Sherpa in BRICS (online)

Anil SOOKLAL, South African Sherpa in BRICS

Pavel KNYAZEV, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Russian Sou-Sherpa in BRICS

Rodrigo De Lima BAENA SOARES, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the Russian Federation

Nandan UNNIKRISHNAN, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation (India)

WANG Wen, Executive Dean and Professor of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), Deputy Dean of Silk Road School, Renmin University of China

Rasigan MAHARAJH, Chief Director of the Institute for Economic Research on Innovation, Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa)

Description:

The failure and turbulence of the global order primarily led in the interest of the global West further highlight the significant role of multilateral global institutions. A dozen of countries have expressed interest in joining the BRICS, including several major regional players. Iran, Argentina and Algeria have already applied officially for BRICS membership. The expansion of this grouping would bring together and harness the potential of regional leaders, while also identifying new solutions to pressing issues. For instance, developing countries have been shortchanged out of USD 4.3 trillion for UN sustainable development goals, owing to the unfair distribution of wealth in the global economy. In addition, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, global food security has become more of a major issue, accompanied by rising food prices. The breakdown in global supply chains last year, as well as natural disasters, means that 43 states now face major wheat shortages. In light of all of this, the expansion of the BRICS is important for giving a greater voice to developing countries in international trade, financial and monetary institutions and food organizations, in order to contribute to the overall wellbeing. Furthermore, unity, stability and transparency must be guaranteed when conceiving consensus-based decisions, which will be put into practice.

Questions for discussion:

• How could the BRICS+ countries deal with global challenges in this new reality and what risks must be considered as if BRICS expands?
• What instruments and formats could encourage greater global stability?
• How can BRICS+ countries’ contributions to existing multilateral institutions help to further develop its extensive partnership?

Key Speakers:

Dmitry TRENIN, Research Professor at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University

Bal Krishan SHARMA, Major General (Ret.), Director, United Service Institution of India

Anastasia LIKHACHEVA, Dean, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University

WANG Wen, Executive Dean and Professor of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), Deputy Dean of Silk Road School, Renmin University of China

Rasigan MAHARAJH, Chief Director of the Institute for Economic Research on Innovation, Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa)

Radhika DESAI, Professor, Department of Political Studies, Director, Geopolitical Economy Research Group, University of Manitoba (Canada)

Rakhim OSHAKBAYEV, Director, TALAP Center for Applied Research (Kazakhstan)

Description:

The emergence of a new global order has passed the point of no return, now critically involving states, which are on the sidelines of the conflict between Russia and the West (or China and the US) and eager to maintain their flexibility and ability to build ties with all major powers, with a particular view to their own interests and national development goals. The global majority is not a group of states bound by common interests or acting as a formal alliance, but rather a structural phenomenon in the international political order and economy, setting the stage for current changes: the takedown of the West’s economic, military and technological monopoly, the creation of a multipolar world, stronger regional partnerships and cooperation, thus replacing the previous globalization model.

For Russia, the interests and possibilities of the new global majority means the collapse of the West’s attempts to isolate Moscow in the international arena, an opportunity to further ties with the world’s leading economies and emerging markets, and the creation of new partnerships during a direct clash with the West. For countries in the global majority, Russia is a favourable economic partner, as well as a source of technology and political influence in the global arena. Now, the global majority, including Russia, must determine the key features of a new and fairer international order, maintain and reform global institutions, rules and norms, and enhance globalization processes and transnational connections.

A discussion of these and other issues at this plenary session will allow its participants and the academic community to develop a far more concise understanding of the global majority concept, the characteristics of the new international order and its integral institutions, while also building better regional and international ties, which can remain stable when faced with the aftershocks of conflicts between major powers.