The International City Strategic Development&Cooperation Center (ICS) and the South Africa-headquartered BRICS Youth Organization (BYO) officially launched the BRICS CITY PARTNERS network initiative at the beginning of 2026.

During the project planning and research phase, the BYO Council and the ICS international city expert team conducted site visits to major cities in South Africa and Addis Ababa, the headquarters of the African Union. Key cooperation under the "BRICS City Partners" initiative is initially being carried out between eThekwini (Durban), South Africa, and Xi'an, China – two cities with profound significance within the Belt and Road Initiative.

During the visits, His Worship the Mayor of eThekwini, Mr. Cyril Xaba, met with BYO Secretary-General Mr. Zong Wentao and the expert team. The expert team presented the Mayor with distinctive "BRICS national gifts" and publications on international city studies. Consul-General Mr. Li Zhigong of the Chinese Consulate-General in Durban held working discussions with BYO Secretary-General Mr. Zong Wentao.

Mayor Xaba and the eThekwini municipal leadership team shared case studies and international governance experiences related to eThekwini's development as an international port city, international maritime city, international tourism city, and international consumption city. They expressed hope that ICS would build a cooperation network between South African and Chinese cities, as well as among BRICS cities, connecting more BRICS city partners. This, they believe, would enhance eThekwini 's level of technological innovation and international governance, collectively improve the cities' "BRICS value" (literally 'gold content'), and establish a model BRICS hub international port city.

eThekwini(Durban) was honored as one of the "Top 10 Global SMILE Cities: Cities with Potential in City Governance and Development" in 2025. Mr. Qin Gang, Director-General of ICS and Senior Member of the Global SMILE Index Expert Committee, extended congratulations to Mayor Xaba and introduced innovative practices of global governance initiatives in international city governance and BRICS city cooperation. Mayor Xaba thanked the ICS international city expert team for its strong support for building eThekwini into a world-class port city, fostering international city cooperation, and connecting with BRICS city partners.

About ICS

With mission of "international vision, strategic leadership, city cooperation, and sustainable development," ICS(International City Strategic Development&Cooperation Center) supports global cities in implementing “global development, security, civilization, and governance initiatives”. It is a Chinese-characteristic new think tank with international organization functions.

ICS was established in Beijing in 2020 and was approved for establishment in Hong Kong by the Registrar of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in 2025. It transitioned from an academic research institution to an international organization-type think tank, with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, New York, London, and Johannesburg.

ICS envisions a modernized people's city development with a focus on "innovation-driven, smart empowerment, ecological friendliness, resilience protection, poetic habitation, and cultural mutual learning," thereby pioneering a new domain of "global city studies" and constructing globalized, modernized cities, supporting the construction of international consumption center，international cultural center, international innovation center and international exchange center.

The ICS Advisory Committee and Council consist of 100 prominent mayors around the world, international figures, scholars, entrepreneurs, and artists. The governing bodies are the Council and the Secretariat; the research institution is the Academic Committee.