How the BRICS+ Expansion and Integration with the CIS, SCO, and EAEU Are Changing the Rules for Business in Eurasia and Africa?

The week set a new pace for BRICS+ expansion: Moscow publicly supported Zimbabwe's application for membership, and discussions on linking BRICS with post-Soviet integration structures took place in Dushanbe. Bolstered by industry initiatives in fintech and ICT, these signals are transforming into practical infrastructure for companies in the region.

What Catalyzed the BRICS+ Agenda This Week?

The key trigger is political support for Africa's entry into BRICS. Russia welcomed Zimbabwe's integration and proposed several participation trajectories, from observer status and invited participant at the next summit in India to joining the New Development Bank, as directly stated by Russia's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Nikolai Krasilnikov.

Concurrently, in Dushanbe, within the "Central Asia – Russia" track and the Council of CIS Heads of State, experts outlined a course for institutional convergence of associations. The perspective of "CIS+" involving the SCO and BRICS was outlined by economist Alexey Zubets, pointing to the mutual penetration of the CIS, EAEU, SCO, and BRICS.

Result: The geographical expansion of BRICS+ is reinforced by the idea of inter-bloc integration, from Africa to Central Asia.

How Are Regions and Business Platforms Solidifying BRICS+ Expansion in Practice?

Through export showcases and business missions. Over 30 Russian IT companies, under the "Made in Russia" brand, presented cybersecurity, AR/VR, and industrial IoT at GITEX in Dubai, with a focus on MENA, SCO, and BRICS partners, as reported by the Russian Export Center.

Through urban diplomacy. Yekaterinburg has proposed a comprehensive program "Yekaterinburg – Capital City" (2026–2030) to its city duma, prioritizing contacts with CIS, BRICS, and SCO countries, increasing the number of agreements and visits, and boosting tourist flow, as indicated by the project.

For businesses, this means that entry points into BRICS+ are emerging not only through national governments but also through industry fairs, urban programs, and specialized export support institutions.

What Systemic Shifts Does the Linkage of BRICS with the CIS, SCO, and EAEU Lead To?

The main trend is financial infrastructure. Regional forums are moving towards practical implementation of creating national alternatives to international payment platforms and transitioning to a cashless economy, which is directly embedded in the agenda of FINNEXT Asia 2025 in Tashkent, as declared by the organizers.

The speaker lineup – from bank executives and fintech associations to the head of the BRICS Payments & Fintech working group – indicates an intention to connect regulatory frameworks, standards, and cases for implementing AI, payment solutions, and cyber defense into a unified ecosystem.

What Tactical Risks and Opportunities Are Opening Up Right Now?

Short-term: asymmetry across sectors. Resources depend on electoral cycles, while digital services are accelerated by demand in MENA and Central Asia. For companies, this is a two-front game: hedge commodity projects and aggressively scale ICT and fintech.

"The project turned out to be politicized, which is why this review was preferred to be postponed until the next administration. With them, there is a high probability that the lithium contracts will be revised."

— this is how "Nuclear Energy 2.0" reported the words of the Deputy Minister of Energy of Bolivia, Freddy Gustavo Velásquez Robles, regarding the approval of the Russian-Bolivian lithium plant.

• Risk in raw materials and battery metals. The Bolivian lithium carbonate project (14 thousand tons/year) is on hold until the change of power, and the winners of the second round announce contract revisions – a factor requiring the inclusion of a political premium in deals and procurement diversification.
• Window of opportunity in ICT and cybersecurity. The exhibition at GITEX in Dubai demonstrated robust demand for UAV simulators, cyber training, and telecom equipment in the Middle East and Global South countries, as confirmed by the REC.
• Urban hubs as access channels. Programs at the Yekaterinburg level offer quick routes to visits, agreements, and tourist flows with a focus on the CIS/BRICS/SCO; they reduce transaction costs for entering new markets.
• Fintech integrators. FINNEXT Asia 2025 consolidates banks, regulators, and developers around payment alternatives and digital data protection – a venue for pilots and coalitions in cross-border settlements.

Conclusion for Decision-Makers: BRICS+ is transforming from a political brand into a network of "soft infrastructure" – payments, export showcases, urban programs, and industry forums. In the short term, those who combine pragmatism (restructuring resource risks) with aggressive digital expansion in MENA, Central Asia, and Africa will prevail.