PRESS RELEASE
BRICS Science and Technology Ministers Plan Cooperation; BRICS Reps Meet To Discuss Nuclear Cooperation at Moscow Forum
March 21, 2015 (EIRNS)—The second ministerial meeting of the science and technology ministers of the BRICS nations took place last week in Brazil to put into place plans for activities to foster cooperation among the technical communities and students of the five nations. The ministers established five thematic work areas In science, technology, and innovation, reports Engineering News of South Africa. These are astronomy in which South Africa will take the lead; Brazil, in climate change, and natural disaster mitigation; Russia in water resources and pollution; India in geospacial (Earth remote sensing) technology and applications; and China in new and renewable energy. Cooperation among the countries will include training, exchange programs for scientists and young researchers, collaborative research projects, and policy dialogues on science and innovation.
During the two-day meeting, India’s Young Scientists Forum initiative was endorsed by the participants, the Indian press reports. South Africa S&T Minister Naledi Pandor said before leaving for the meeting that the cooperation should ensure that science and technology are
"put at the heart of not only the BRICS’ own economic partnership but that through our cooperation, we also harness research and innovation to optimally contribute to Africa’s development."
Also, it was announced last week that at the seventh Russian international forum, AtomExpo 2015, on June 1-3, there will be a special session on nuclear energy in the BRICS countries, according to an article in Belarus Telegraph Agency (BelTA, atom.belta.by). There is already some level of on-going cooperation in nuclear energy among the BRICS countries, but now initiatives could raise this to a higher level. This forum is a huge international nuclear event. Last year’s forum had over 3,500 representatives from 600 organizations, companies, and governments from 42 countries. It consists of presentations, meetings, and a large exhibition of nuclear technolgy, where many commercial deals are consolidated.
