Reflections from the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum 2023

From June 14-17, 2023, I had the opportunity to participate in a program organized by the “Friends for Leadership” at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum. Thousands of delegates, primarily from Latin America, Africa and Asia, attended the forum alongside heads of state, diplomats and businessmen. The main objective of the forum was to network, witness the latest tech, agricultural, IT and infrastructural innovations, and attend different panels addressing Russia and its relations with the Global South. Notably, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had “special guest” status, and its cultural, economic and political presence was felt by all in the forum. Many delegates were anxious for details of the new agreements signed between Russia and other countries, listen to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech, and attend dozens of sessions and panels related to BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and north-south trade. During the forum, I had the opportunity to closely identify Russia’s post-Ukraine war foreign policy priorities, meet Russia’s foreign policy spokesperson Maria Zakharova and other officials, highlight Moscow’s geo-economic interests in the Middle East, Africa and the Caucasus, and finally, assess the challenges of the emerging multipolar world system. 

Multipolarity, de-dollarization and the future of BRICS