Russia expects "roadmap" for BRICS investment projects to be completed by year end - Putin

UFA, July 9. /TASS/. Russia expects that the "roadmap" for the investment projects of BRICS /Brazil, India, China, South Africa/ to be completed before the end of the year, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. He was speaking at a meeting of the BRICS leaders. "The Russian party has also prepared a draft of the roadmap of BRICS investment cooperation. We expect our partners to contribute to its content, so we can finish our work on this document before the end of the year," Putin said. According to the Russian President, the "road map" contains about 50 projects and business initiatives. They include a proposal to establish the Energy Association, an international center for energy studies, as well as the Union foundry industry. Another promising aspect of cooperation is the use of navigation systems including Russia’s GLONASS, Putin said. "Russian companies are interested in developing cooperation in such sectors as production of medical and electronic equipment, software and other areas," - the president said He added that Russia had urged its partners in BRICS to launch a system for a joint study of competition and unifying of anti-monopoly regulations. Russia urged its partners to cooperate closely on the issues of employment, he said. Putin said that at a meeting with trade union leaders of the BRICS countries the idea was upheld to hold ministerial meetings in the near future. He said that Russia pays serious attention to the development of humanitarian contacts focusing on further strengthening the friendly relations between the peoples of the BRICS countries. This is the goal of an agreement on cultural cooperation, which is expected to be signed later on Thursday. Read more