In this week’s round-up:
- Why BRICS nations are sliding away from dollar and moving closer to gold
- South Africa to host joint BRICS Mosi III naval drills
- Analysis: India leads BRICS+ in 2026: Implications for building multipolar world
- Geopolitical hedging in the AI race
- BRICS, SCO, and the African Union: The architecture of a new world
South Africa to host joint BRICS Mosi III naval drills
South Africa will host Exercise Mosi III in early January 2026, the Russian ambassador to Pretoria told reporters. The Department of Defence earlier said it postponed the trilateral drills from November so they would not clash with G20 duties.
BRICS, SCO enable Global South participation in global governance, says Russian scholar
Andrei Manoilo, a professor at the Faculty of Political Science of Lomonosov Moscow State University, told Xinhua in an interview that the rising number of countries engaging with BRICS and the SCO over the past years reflects their growing appeal among the Global South.
BRICS nations control 50% of the global gold reserves. What does it mean for the US Dollar?
BRICS is fast shifting its reliance on the US Dollar to gold through the accumulation of the precious metal. Although officially BRICS nations hold around 20% of the global gold reserves, they, along with their strategically allied states (who are not BRICS members but have strong ties with BRICS member countries), now collectively hold around 50% of the global gold production.
Analysis: India Leads BRICS+ In 2026: Implications for building multipolar world
By rotational procedures and consensus adopted in Brazil in December, India has taken over the BRICS+ presidency for 2026, underscoring its highly-enriching membership and gracious opportunity to deepen the intergovernmental association as a leading geopolitical force in the Global South.
BRICS, SCO, and the African Union: The architecture of a new world
BRICS will continue to actively develop cooperation with other organizations and groupings. This was stated in 2024 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, during a meeting of BRICS+ Foreign Ministers.
Why BRICS nations are sliding away from dollar and moving closer to gold
Gold’s enduring role as a store of value and hedge against currency risk makes it a natural choice for countries seeking greater financial independence.
Geopolitical hedging in the AI race
As BRICS expands and strengthens, it is becoming a centre of attraction for an increasing number of countries whose goal is not to win the technological race at any cost, but to participate in defining its rules. However, progress remains fragmented and under-institutionalised, writes Anna Sytnik.
