60. We support the NDB membership expansion process based on relevant decisions by the NDB Board of Governors. This will strengthen the NDB's role as a global development finance institution and further contribute to the mobilization of resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in Bank's member states. The process of expansion should be gradual and balanced in terms of geographic representation in its membership as well as supportive of the NDB's goals of attaining the highest possible credit rating and institutional development. We welcome the launch of the formal negotiations with potential candidates based on these principles and work towards the timely expansion of NDB's membership.

61. We acknowledge the progress made in effecting the amendments to update the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) documents and the efforts of the BRICS countries' central banks in augmenting the analytical support to the CRA. We welcome the BRICS Economic Bulletin as an annual analytical document to support CRA. We welcome the successful conclusion of the third test run with advance payment as the added element of complexity.

62. We commend continuing work on the national payments systems' cooperation, in particular, the creation of the BRICS Payments Task Force (BPTF) and look forward to further progress on this track.

63. We welcome the establishment of the BRICS Rapid Information Security Channel (BRISC) to allow the BRICS countries' central banks to exchange information on cyber threats and share experience in countering cyber attacks in the financial sphere.

64. We note the progress achieved in establishing a BRICS Local Currency Bond Fund and look forward to its operation.

65. We reiterate the need to promote industrial growth and welcome further advancement of our trade and investment cooperation, including within the framework of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR). We encourage mutually beneficial cooperation among BRICS countries and UNIDO on assessing the establishment of a Centre for Industrial Competences through follow up discussions as appropriate, and note China's initiative to establish a BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution Innovation Center.

66. We recognize the role of the digital economy as an important tool for modernization and transformation of the industry, promotion of inclusive economic growth, support of seamless global trade and business conduct, and thus helping BRICS national economies to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. At the same time we acknowledge the challenges arising from the unprecedented growth of digital technologies and e-commerce, and emphasize the need for a dedicated focus on overcoming the digital divide and to support developing countries to address its socio-economic implications. In the context of accelerated development of the e-commerce sector and increased volume of online-transactions worldwide, we will enhance our cooperation through the BRICS E-commerce Working Group. We recognize the potential for establishing a workstream to examine the experience of BRICS and other countries, as well as international associations in the field of consumer protection in e-commerce and create a basis for exploring the development of a practical framework for ensuring consumer protection in the BRICS countries, including through pilot projects and initiatives.

67. We reiterate our willingness to further deepen international cooperation in the field of energy on the basis of equality, non-discrimination and full respect for sovereignty and national interests, noting the pivotal role of energy in promoting sustainable development. Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all remains the priority of international energy policy and we intend to enhance cooperation to combat energy poverty. We emphasize that sustainable and efficient use of all energy sources, energy efficiency and technology deployment are essential for each country's energy transitions, and for building reliable energy systems and strengthening energy security. We emphasize the importance of BRICS countries greater contribution to the global energy agenda in line with their share in the world energy production and consumption.

68. We will enhance strategic partnership in energy by fostering trade in energy related goods, promoting technological cooperation, facilitating mutual investments, exchanging views on regulations and energy policies. We welcome the informal consultations among BRICS states on topical energy issues and discussions in international organizations and fora. We will enhance this dialogue in order to promote BRICS countries interests on the global scale. We welcome, in this regard, the adoption of Roadmap of BRICS Energy cooperation and the launch of practical cooperation within BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform (ERCP) including the preparation of joint reports. We note the importance of widening the scope of joint research, launching joint projects and strengthening the BRICS ERCP.

69. We highlight the need to strengthen further BRICS cooperation in the fields of intellectual property, technical regulations, standards, metrology and conformity assessment. We commend the collaboration between our national IP Offices and the outcomes of cooperation among BRICS countries under the Working Mechanism on Technical Regulation, Standards, Metrology, Conformity Assessment and Accreditation and reaffirm the importance of further cooperation.

70. We commend the progress of BRICS countries in tackling new challenges in urban areas and note the contribution of the BRICS Urbanization Forum towards these efforts.

71. Recognizing tourism as an important driver for the BRICS countries' economies, we acknowledge negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemics on the tourism industry and welcome further BRICS dialogue on cooperation in the field of tourism.

72. We recall that our countries produce more than a third of the global agricultural output and emphasize BRICS role and responsibility in ensuring the sustainability of the agriculture and food sector, global food security and nutrition. We emphasize the importance of a targeted, proportionate, transparent, timely and consistent with WTO rules approach when taking urgent response measures in connection with the spread of COVID-19 and minimizing the impact of these measures on the functioning of global food supply chains and the stability of agricultural markets consistent with national requirements. We commit to withdraw such measures as soon as they are no longer needed to fight the COVID-19.

73. We will reinforce the resilience of agriculture, rural areas and farmers in light of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic through deepening agricultural cooperation including South-South and the promotion of comprehensive development of rural areas, through forms of support compatible with WTO rules on agriculture. Rural development is of great significance to the balanced improvement of the world agricultural production, food security and the implementation of sustainable goals in agriculture. We acknowledge the importance of avoiding food loss and waste and encourage joint efforts towards the reduction of food loss and waste.

74. Recalling all BRICS Leader's Declarations since Ufa (2015), we reiterate our commitment to further enhance BRICS cooperation in addressing the challenges to health and human well-being including through developing effective joint responses to the continuing spread of major diseases (HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and others) and the emergence of infections with a pandemic potential. We welcome the efforts of States in developing and implementing policies and initiatives regarding the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic that are fit for their specific national situations. In this regard we recall the decision in the Johannesburg Declaration (2018) to establish the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre and encourage its timely and effective operationalization. We also welcome issuing the Review of the BRICS countries measures in the field of healthcare to counter the spread of the coronavirus disease and note Russia's proposal to set up a BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for preventing mass infectious diseases risks for future consideration and discussion. We recognize the fundamental role of the United Nations system, including the WHO, in coordinating the comprehensive global response to COVID-19 pandemic and the central efforts of States therein. We stress, in this regard, the importance of enhancing BRICS countries' positive contribution to international public health security, the need to pursue coordinated and decisive actions, both individually and collectively.

75. We take note of the progress made under the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Framework Programme, which attracted multiple BRICS funding agencies and more than hundred BRICS projects supported in different thematic areas. This has facilitated networking of BRICS research organizations and scientists to work together and develop affordable solutions for common societal challenges. We recognize the importance of BRICS STI Cooperation in counteracting the spread and the impacts of COVID-19, including launching of a special joint R&D Call under BRICS STI Framework Programme and online experts exchanges. We acknowledge the progress achieved by the BRICS STI Steering Committee under the BRICS STI Architecture, especially on the thematic working groups. (more)

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