News: Commentary from the BRICS Lab
08/29/2025, Deutsche Welle, Will BRICS boom under Trump’s watch? Dr. Papa comments on the BRICS group’s response to tariffs: “We can expect greater political support for new trade initiatives, ‘Buy BRICS’ campaigns and projects like the BRICS grain exchange and the expansion of local currency settlement mechanisms.”
08/26/2025, Responsible Statecraft, Trump’s India problem could become a Global South crisis Dr. Papa argues that “BRICS cooperation has evolved despite the China-India conflict,” but “rising U.S.-India frictions are now shifting the boundaries of what India is prepared to pursue with China and within BRICS.”
08/09/2025, Večernji list, The Secret Behind the Rise of the Far Eastern Giant (print edition) Dr. Papa discusses common misperceptions about China’s rise and illustrates its innovation capacity with examples from AI, fintech, and electric vehicles.
07/10/2025, South China Morning Post, The Brics paradox: expanding influence, patchwork progress Dr. Papa’s commentary: “‘Some leaders were absent or unwilling to attend the summit,’ she told This Week in Asia, highlighting persistent divisions over issues such as reform of the UN Security Council and inconsistent mutual support during crises.”
07/09/2025, Chinese Social Sciences Today The Rio BRICS Summit: A Barometer of Cooperation in the Global South Dr. Papa commented that “BRICS nations still needed to demonstrate their ability to achieve key development goals, whether in health care, technology sharing or climate finance.”
07/08/2025, Bloomberg Adria The BRICS Summit in Rio (for subscribers) Dr. Papa discusses the BRICS summit in the context of the Trump administration’s trade policy and a new approach to trade multilateralism.
07/07/2025, VTV International (VTV4) Vietnam Television – Interview with Dr. Papa on Vietnam becoming a partner country and the strategic significance of this move for Vietnam’s geopolitical and economic positioning.
07/04/2025, Table Briefings, BRICS summit: China between leadership role and special status Dr. Papa “characterizes the group’s orientation not as anti-Western, but as ‘BRICS First’. However, this also means ‘advancing its own goals and remaining diplomatically and economically resilient when these goals clash with those of the West.'”
03/19/2025, South China Morning Post, ‘De-dollar’ diplomacy: Brics focus on alternative currency stirs Trump’s ire, Dr. Papa argues that it is risky for the US to make an example of BRICS at a time when it “seeks to enhance internal trade flows, and its membership criteria require prospective members to maintain substantial trade relations with existing members”.
01/17/2025, CNBC, The BRICS bloc is growing — and Trump’s tariff threat isn’t expected to put off aspiring members. Dr. Papa discusses the Trump administration’s policy shift in the context of BRICS.
12/04/2024, Benar News, Trump’s warning to BRICS on US dollar adds to SE Asia’s worries. Dr. Papa argues that a unified BRICS currency faces various obstacles, including the need for coordinated monetary policies.
11/04/2024, Asia Pacific Daily, The 16th BRICS Summit Says a lot about the State of the non-West Dr. Papa highlights that “Major progress on resolving the India-China border conflict is significant for both BRICS and international relations more broadly.”
10/24/2024, BBC News, World Business Report: The 2024 BRICS Summit, Dr. Papa discusses the 2024 BRICS summit and the group’s progress on moving away from the dollar and managing internal conflicts.
10/9/2024, Bloomberg, Expanded BRICS needs to innovate to show its influence, Dr. Papa discusses how BRICS can enhance economic integration through the international payments system and BRICS grain exchange.
09/09/2024, The Africa Report, Do record gold prices open the door for BRICS+ dedollarisation? (for subscribers) Dr. Papa was quoted: “Developing a joint currency … on a large scale is a lengthy process, making it unlikely the dollar will face a significant challenge soon.”
09/05/2024, Eurasia Review, Malaysian PM meets Putin in Russia to expand collaboration despite US sanctions Dr. Papa discusses how Malaysia’s move towards BRICS reveals a more Moscow and Beijing-friendly stance.