Today, the meeting of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and
Municipalities took place in Dubai (UAE), where the headquarters of the
organization is located. The Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin, a chairman of the
organization, took part in the meeting.
«Our meeting will be the starting point for the effective work of the
association, will launch promising initiatives and projects, will serve to
build mutually beneficial cooperation and contribute to strengthening friendly
relations between the BRICS countries and their partners», – the Mayor said.
He reminded that last week Kazan hosted the BRICS summit with
participation of representatives of 36 countries and six international
organizations.
The Association will consist
of three main bodies
The participants discussed the charter of the association and agreed to
make amendments to the document and to adopt it at the next general meeting.
The association will consist of a general assembly and a presidium led
by the Secretary General. The general assembly should take place at least once
a year.
The presidium will be chosen by the general assembly for a year and will
include one representative from each member country and the BRICS partner
country as well as the chairmen of relevant committees. The presidium will
approve the development strategy and annual work plans of the association.
Ilsur Metshin suggests establishing
seven specialized committees
«The purpose of our association is to establish practical partnerships
between the cities of BRICS countries in various areas, including economic,
social, cultural, and others, as well as to implement projects aimed at
improving living standards for the population of these cities and
municipalities», – Kazan Mayor
noted. He suggested establishing committees to address these issues, such as the Committee on Ecology.
«The summit participants
emphasized in the declaration
that environmental
issues are a great
threat, causing significant
damage to the economy and
affecting the quality
of life of citizens of the BRICS countries»,
– Ilsur Metshin explained.
He also emphasized the importance of sharing scientific and technical experience.
The Digitalization Committee can
play a role in this process, and the Smart- city BRICS Alliance, recently
introduced at the Kazan Digital Week Forum, will be one of the initiatives
within this framework.
Additionally, the Committee for
Social Development will become an essential organization, organizing
cultural and sporting events, launching projects in tourism and health care.
«We also propose establishing the Committee
on Youth Policy and Education, as well as the Committee on Sustainable Development. These committees will discuss
issues such as housing, transportation, landscaping, and the creation of green
spaces», – said Ilsur
Metshin.
The Mayor suggested establishing a separate Committee for Urban Planning to address issues related to
architecture and the preservation of cultural heritage.