Russia to chair BRICS emphasizing ecological, emergency issues - ministry]

MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. As the chair of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), Russia will pay special attention to ramping up cooperation between countries on the issues of ecology and countering emergencies, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Monday. "We will actively promote other initiatives. In particular, we aim to boost cooperation on preventing and mitigating emergencies," he said. "We will facilitate stronger contacts on the issues of environmental protection, particularly through developing BRICS’ ecologically clean technology platform and also through implementing the ‘Clean Rivers of BRICS’ program." Moreover, the senior diplomat highlighted intensification of cooperation on industrial revolution, on suppression of transborder restrictive practices as well as humanitarian sphere, culture, cinematography and sports as priorities of Russia’s work in BRICS. Read more