About the Conclave
Urbanisation across BRICS nations has accelerated rapidly, positioning cities as key drivers of economic growth while simultaneously intensifying challenges related to climate risk, infrastructure stress, inequality, and governance.
Climate change is emerging as a critical risk multiplier, with cities facing rising temperatures, extreme weather events, flooding, and water stress. Coastal and riverine cities are particularly vulnerable, highlighting the need for integrated and nature-based approaches to resilience. At the same time, fragmented planning, inadequate infrastructure, and limited mobility integration have led to congestion, urban sprawl, and inefficiencies, underscoring the need for future-ready urban systems.
BRICS cities also face significant socio-economic disparities, with large populations lacking access to adequate housing, basic services, and healthcare. These vulnerabilities are further exacerbated by climate impacts, necessitating inclusive, human-centric development approaches. In parallel, constraints in governance capacity, municipal finance, and institutional coordination continue to limit effective urban management. Leveraging innovative financing mechanisms and digital technologies will be critical to strengthening urban governance and service delivery.
Given these shared challenges, there is a strong need for a collaborative platform to enable dialogue, knowledge exchange, and partnership-building. In this context, the BRICS Friendship Cities Conclave 2026 is an international conclave being convened by Mumbai First in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India. The Conclave, to be held in Mumbai on 11th – 12th August 2026, seeks to advance coordinated, solution-oriented approaches to sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urban development.
