BRICS Cooperation: A Resource for Forging BRICS and G20 Decisions in the Key Areas of International Financial and Economic Architecture

Abstract

The authors analyze BRICS cooperation as a possible resource for developing G20 and BRICS decisions on key areas of the international financial and economic architecture reform. The paper starts with assessment of the BRICS members positions on the main dimensions of the reform, including: changing the global system of reserve currencies; international financial institutions governance reform; replenishment of resources of multilateral development banks, creation of new financial safety nets, establishment of the BRICS development bank; effective surveillance system with account of systemic importance of participating economies; overcoming of financial imbalances. The study is based on the official documents of the BRICS authorities or positions stated by the national leaders and their representatives in international institutions. Given that the work was focused on the assessment of BRICS cooperation in Russia’s interests, each section of the paper begins with presentation of Russian priorities on respective reform issues, it then goes over to the priorities of the other BRICS countries. The study helped identify BRICS shared positions on key areas of the international financial and economic architecture reform, and possible action lines for future cooperation.

To evaluate how BRICS collective positions could impact G20 decisions, the authors did a comparative analysis of the BRICS and G20 decisions on international financial and economic architecture reform issues. The analysis revealed several turning points of BRICS coordination for G20 decision making process.

Summing up the findings the paper puts forward recommendations for BRICS cooperation agenda on the international financial and economic system.

The study is implemented within the project of the Russian International Affairs Council and International Organizations Research Institute National Research University Higher School of Economics "Enhancing Effectiveness of Russia’s Participation in G20, G8 and BRICS".

Keywords: BRICS; FSB; international financial institutions reform; G20; World Bank; IMF; global imbalances; Regional Development Banks; fiscal consolidation

JEL Classification: F5