Afrasianet - Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a speech at the plenary session of the BRICS Business Forum held today in Moscow that Russia is working on plans to develop companies in 3 directions: politics, security and economy.

Here are Putin's most prominent statements:

•    More than 300 events and meetings were carried out at the level of experts and ministers

•    The main event is the summit that will take place next week in Kazan

•    Business meeting stresses the importance of close cooperation in the economic field

•    Deepening cooperation between BRICS countries and striving for economic growth and stability gives tangible results and improves the lives of citizens in our countries

•    BRICS GDP totals more than $60 trillion, more than the Group of Seven

•    The difference between GDP and the Group of Seven industrialized countries is increasing and inevitable

•    In recent years, there are expectations that the BRICS will grow by 4%, which is higher than the Group of Seven countries by 1.7%, and the growth of the global economy by 3.2%.

•    BRICS accounts for a quarter of the world's merchandise exports and dominates a number of markets, including energy markets.

•    BRICS countries play a significant role in the global economy, a role that will increase in the future.

•    The economic growth of BRICS will be less linked to external influences thanks to the sovereignty and partnership that enhance the potential of this group.

•    BRICS Bank represents an alternative to a number of Western financial institutions, and we will develop this without putting ourselves against or against anyone

•    This new bank will be a foundation in infrastructure projects for BRICS countries and the Global South in general.

•    There is work to develop the means of transportation and the solutions required in governance and others

•    I would like to thank the business community for their project offerings, especially the North-South corridor, which will allow for shorter trade routes and the development of energy transmission points.

•    We have a plan to develop the Northern Shipping Corridor, there are new routes being opened, the construction of power plants for ships and other projects. The North-South Corridor connects the North, Gulf States and India.

•    We are developing digital commerce using the web, artificial intelligence and data processing at scale. We will form a unified digital infrastructure for the BRICS countries, which will help in business compliance and information security.

•    Russia is open to business cooperation, and we create a convenient infrastructure for business and to attract investment and technologies from abroad, primarily through cooperation with you.

•    We emphasize that our joint efforts must be directed at strengthening private platforms and solving logistical issues, and we work to realize the potential of BRICS based on the population and resources available to our countries and citizens.

•    The results of the BRICS Business Forum will affect the work of the upcoming summit in Kazan on October 22-24

The forum comes about a week before the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan, where Russia chairs the group this year.

BRICS is an international group created in 2006 and chaired by Russia since the beginning of 2024.

In addition to Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa, Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Ethiopia have joined BRICS since the beginning of 2024.