The IV International Municipal BRICS+ Forum has completed its work in the Northern Capital. The Forum was attended by 3,500 representatives from 40 countries. The Forum programme was aimed at interaction and exchange of experience between municipalities, companies and higher education institutions. During the two days of the Forum, the participants of the event signed 153 cooperation agreements.

Within the framework of the IV IMBRICS+ Forum, 40 field-specific sessions were held covering issues related to digital solutions in various fields, national development goals and global trends in business and society. Ecology, urbanisation and a new social vector of development have also become topics of discussion at the round tables of the IMBRICS+ Forum.

The central discussion was the plenary session on the topic "New Reality: Challenges and opportunities". The participants discussed the impact of modern trends on business and people's lives. In a changing world, epidemiological threats, a tense political situation and unprecedented sanctions, states and their residents need a stable foothold. The current geopolitical situation leads to the transformation of interaction systems and the formation of new ties and alliances. According to the participants of the discussion, the BRICS+ union can just become such an advanced alliance. An additional incentive to such cooperation is provided by the desire of a number of states to join the union and thereby expand its geography.

For the first time, an exhibition was organised within the framework of the Forum, where participants presented domestic innovative solutions and investment projects in the technical, transport, energy. environmental, tourism and logistics spheres. The stands of the participants were visited by Anna Kuznetsova, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma; Evgeny Grigoriev Chairman of the Committee on External Relations, Member of the Government of Saint Petersburg; ambassadors and guests of the BRICS+ countries, as well as regions of Russia. The Forum participants held talks with the exhibitors and also signed a number of partnership agreements.

"The IMBRICS+ Forum has once again proved to be an effective mechanism for building business communications at the regional and municipal level. In addition, the Forum confirmed that it is a working mechanism for foreign small and medium-sized businesses that allows them to enter the Russian market. Since European colleagues have vacated niches in some areas, now they will be filled by colleagues from African, Latin American, Arab and Asian countries. The Forum also helps our Russian enterprises in finding foreign partners," commented Mikhail Cherepanov, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the IV IMBRICS+ Forum.

During the two days of the Forum, 3.5 thousand delegates took part in the event, of which 380 foreign participants were present in person and 300 took part in the event in an online format.