Growth Points on the Global Map: How the BRICS SEZ International Association Is Becoming a New Center for Economic Cooperation
On May 15, during the “Russia — Islamic World: KazanForum–2025” International Economic Forum, a panel discussion was held titled “The BRICS SEZ International Association: A Platform for Multilateral Economic Cooperation Between Russia and OIC Countries.”
The event brought together government officials, business associations, and special economic zone (SEZ) operators from BRICS countries and members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The session was organized by the Association of Clusters, Technoparks and Special Economic Zones of Russia, which has been promoting the idea of institutional SEZ integration across the Global South for several years.
From Initiative to Institution
The idea of an international SEZ collaboration platform was officially reflected in the Kazan Declaration following the 16th BRICS Summit in 2024. The same year saw the initiation of the BRICS SEZ International Association, aimed at creating effective preferential territories and facilitating business localization across infrastructure-ready industrial sites.
According to Mikhail Labudin, Director of the Association of Clusters, Technoparks and SEZs of Russia, launching the Association is not merely a political statement but an attempt to build a unified ecosystem for coordinating investment policies and industrial cooperation among BRICS and OIC countries.
“Today, special economic zones are becoming a new kind of geoeconomic infrastructure. Through them, BRICS and OIC nations can establish resilient horizontal partnerships—bypassing traditional financial and logistical bottlenecks. We see the Association as a foundation for cooperation and a new model of industrial dialogue,” said Labudin.
New Centers of Gravity
The panel featured Roman Chekushov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia; Vladimir Ilyichev, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia; Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning of Nigeria; Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Deputy Minister of Economy of the UAE; as well as senior officials from Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Ethiopia, Qatar, and others.
The agenda covered five key discussion blocks:
- Opportunities for cooperation between Russia and OIC countries through the Association;
- Creating joint SEZs in Russia and participating states;
- Barriers and incentives for foreign industrial localization under sanction pressure;
- Standardizing investor services and support infrastructure;
- SEZs as drivers of low-carbon economic transformation.
Pilot areas for cooperation included petrochemicals, electronics, agri-industry, and logistics hubs. Egypt and Iran expressed particular interest in bilateral industrial parks connected to trade routes, including alternatives to the Suez Canal.
Institutional Framework: What’s Next
The Russian Association proposed the following action points to session participants:
- An interactive BRICS-OIC SEZ catalog;
- Model international cooperation agreements for SEZ development;
- ESG certification tools for industrial sustainability;
- A joint investment project exchange for SEZ residents;
- An expert track for harmonizing preferential regimes.
An official agreement to launch the Association is expected to be signed during the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). In addition, an annual “BRICS SEZ Forum” is under discussion, to be hosted by a rotating BRICS or OIC country.
A New Kind of Economic Diplomacy
The session reaffirmed a key trend: international SEZs are evolving into powerful tools of economic diplomacy, where practical industrial collaboration outpaces political friction. Amid global uncertainty, it is zones with robust infrastructure, preferential regimes, and institutional continuity that can anchor the next generation of technology alliances—from green manufacturing to joint R&D chains.
As a founding member of BRICS and the initiator of this Association, Russia is well positioned to act as a coordinator and integrator—if the dialogue transitions from expert exchanges to tangible projects.