Key Takeaways
- President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev stressed that artificial intelligence (AI) is already reshaping economies, societies and the global balance of power.
- He argued that BRICS can turn its combined technological strength and demographic scale into a engine for innovation, investment and sustainable growth.
- Kazakhstan proposes a BRICS+ AI Partnership to link national AI centres, share laboratory access, joint scientific projects and develop multilingual AI solutions.
- Tokayev highlighted the fragmentation of global water governance and reiterated Kazakhstan’s call for an International Water Organization as a UN specialised agency to improve coordination.
- He warned that a multipolar world without effective multilateralism risks deepening the current era of “Great Fragmentation,” advocating instead a system based on sovereign equality, balanced interests and shared responsibility.
- The New Delhi Summit is seen as an opportunity to advance these ideas through concrete cooperation and joint progress among BRICS members and partners.
President Tokayev’s Vision for AI Collaboration in BRICS+
Speaking at the Outreach/BRICS Plus plenary session themed Strengthening Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Stability, Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev underscored that AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a present‑day force reshaping economies, societies and the global balance of power. He warned that the technology’s rapid diffusion is creating new divides unless emerging economies work together to harness its potential. “By combining the technological capabilities of leading emerging economies with their scale, BRICS can unlock new opportunities for innovation, investment, and sustainable growth,” he said, framing the bloc as a natural laboratory for inclusive AI development.
Leveraging Kazakhstan’s Advanced Computing Infrastructure
Tokayev pointed out that Kazakhstan already possesses a solid foundation for AI advancement, citing its advanced computing infrastructure and the UN‑supported national and digital centres operating within the country. These facilities, he argued, can serve as hubs for research, training and deployment of AI solutions that benefit not only Kazakhstan but also fellow BRICS nations. By offering access to these resources, Kazakhstan aims to lower the entry barrier for partners lacking comparable high‑performance computing assets.
Proposal for a BRICS+ AI Partnership
As a concrete step toward realising this vision, the Kazakh president proposed launching a BRICS+ AI Partnership. The initiative would unite national AI centres across the bloc, provide mutual access to laboratories and scientific projects, and foster the development of multilingual AI tools capable of serving diverse linguistic communities. Tokayev emphasized that such cooperation would not only accelerate technological breakthroughs but also ensure that the benefits of AI are broadly shared, reducing the risk of a technology‑driven widening of global inequalities.
Addressing Global Water Governance Challenges
Beyond AI, Tokayev devoted considerable attention to another pressing global issue: water management. He observed that global water governance remains fragmented, with overlapping responsibilities among various international bodies, regional agreements and national administrations, often leading to inefficient allocation and conflict over transboundary water resources. “He reminded Kazakhstan has proposed establishing an International Water Organization as a UN specialized agency to improve coordination and strengthen interstate cooperation,” the report notes, highlighting the country’s long‑standing advocacy for a dedicated institutional framework.
Kazakhstan’s Initiative for an International Water Organization
Building on that proposal, Tokayev invited BRICS members and partners to join the international consultations already initiated by Kazakhstan toward creating the International Water Organization. He argued that a specialised UN agency could standardise data collection, promote best practices in water‑saving technologies, mediate disputes and facilitate financing for sustainable water projects—particularly vital for arid and semi‑arid regions represented within BRICS. By pooling expertise and resources, the organisation could help translate the Sustainable Development Goal on clean water and sanitation into tangible outcomes on the ground.
Multipolarity and the Need for Effective Multilateralism
Turning to the broader geopolitical landscape, Tokayev warned that multipolarity without effective multilateralism risks making the current era of “Great Fragmentation” even more dangerous. He cautioned that a world where power is diffused but cooperative mechanisms are weak could lead to heightened competition, mistrust and potential conflicts over resources, technology and strategic influence. Instead, he advocated for a multipolar order grounded in sovereign equality, a balance of interests, and shared responsibility—principles that, in his view, can stabilize international relations while allowing diverse development paths to flourish.
Outlook for the New Delhi Summit
Tokayev expressed confidence that the upcoming New Delhi Summit will advance this vision through practical cooperation and joint progress. He urged BRICS nations to move beyond declarative statements and commit to measurable actions—such as joint AI research programmes, shared water‑management pilots, and coordinated positions in multilateral forums. By doing so, the bloc could demonstrate that emerging economies are not only capable of driving innovation but also of shaping a more equitable and resilient global order.
Journalistic note: The above summary incorporates direct quotations from Tokayev’s remarks, including his statements on AI’s transformative power (“By combining the technological capabilities of leading emerging economies with their scale, BRICS can unlock new opportunities for innovation, investment, and sustainable growth”) and his call for an International Water Organization (“Kazakhstan has proposed establishing an International Water Organization as a UN specialized agency to improve coordination and strengthen interstate cooperation”). These verbatim excerpts preserve the president’s original phrasing while contextualising his proposals within the broader themes of the BRICS+ Outreach session.
https://qazinform.com/news/president-tokayev-suggests-brics-artificial-intelligence-partnership-fb43f4