Russia suggests BRICS IT cooperation

Russia has invited its BRICS partners to break new ground by starting IT cooperation, Russian Minister of Communications and Mass Media Nikolai Nikiforov said following his official visit to Brazil.

"The key subject of the talks we held was preparing to create a separate BRICS cooperation track in the area of high information technologies," he said, adding that the issues to be addressed in this context were bridging the digital divide, developing modern technologies, using the radio frequency spectrum, and demonopolising the software sphere.

Brazilian Minister of Communications Ricardo Berzoini supported the idea of regular meetings between BRICS communications ministers. Earlier, readiness to cooperate in this format was expressed by the Chinese and Indian ministers. "I am planning to visit South Africa soon and hope that our South African colleague will also speak in favour of our initiative," Nikolai Nikiforov said.