CSAIS President attends high level roundtable ‘Expanding BRICS and the New Alignments
Organized by NUST Institute of Policy Studies ( NIPS )
ISLAMABAD: The NUST Institute of Policy Studies (NIPS) organised a high-level roundtable on ‘Expanding BRICS and the New Alignments.’. The roundtable witnessed multinational participation consisting of senior diplomats, academics, veteran state officials, think tank experts, scholars and students. President Centre for South Asia and International Studies ( CSAIS) Major General Khalid Amir Jaffery (R) was also among the key attendees along with Lt Gen (r) Naeem Khalid Lodhi, Dr Shoaib Suddle, Ambassador (r) Masood Khalid, Ambassador (r) Fauzia Nasreen and Dr Zamaraeva Natalia.
Dr Asad Majeed Khan, Pakistan’s former foreign secretary, delivered the keynote address on the impact of BRICS’s expansion on prevailing global geopolitics. He highlighted that BRICS represents 41% of the world population, 24% of the world GDP, and more than 16% share of the world trade. He stated that BRICS is both undergoing the process of institutionalization and strategically expanding its external relations, thereby solidifying its position as a prominent global player.
Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan, DG NIPS, proposed the concept of ‘New Geo-economics.’ arguing that the new geo-economics can be viewed as a global response to the geopolitical upheavals of the last two decades.
Ambassador of Brazil to Pakistan, Alfredo Leoni, highlighted the dynamic nature the world today and the emergence of new alignments in the global landscape. Ambassador of Russia to Pakistan, Danila V. Ganich, said that the BRICS nations prefer cooperation over conflict. He welcomed any potential participation in BRICS, emphasising the significance of collaboration in the contemporary international community. High Commissioner of South Africa to Pakistan, Mthuthuzeli Madikiza, highlighted the potential of BRICS expansion to serve as a catalyst for achieving economic independence and prosperity among its constituent members. Ambassador of Ethiopia Jemal Beker Abdula, emphasized the need for balance in international relations based on national interests and advocated for inclusivity, equality, and representation within the global system.