Participation of Bandung Countries in the Formation of the Big Eurasian Partnership (to the 70th Anniversary of the Bandung Conference)

The year 2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, where 29 Asian and African countries articulated shared goals for trade and economic cooperation in their final communique. The creation of the Big Eurasian Partnership (BEP), initiated by Russia, aims to involve friendly Asian and African nations, including Bandung countries, in this initiative. This study substantiates the alignment of interests between Russia and developing Asian and African countries within the framework of economic principles established at Bandung. Content analysis of the Conference’s economic communique and relevant economic agreements with Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) reveals convergence between the communique’s principles and the institutional foundations of the BEP. The economic development trajectories of the participating countries are analyzed. Cooperation spheres, types of agreements, and instruments are classified according to each of the Conference’s ten core economic tasks. Furthermore, the positioning of the BEP as an integration framework aligned with the Conference’s principles and purposes is substantiated. The partnership’s “soft” format allows countries to choose cooperation spheres and instruments best suited to their needs, facilitating economic integration based on shared interests. Analysis of the institutional cooperation framework substantiates distinct tiers of engagement between Russia and Conference participants, alongside the instruments necessary for BEP development.

Bandung Conference, Big Eurasian Partnership (BEP), Russia, Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), economic interests