Urban Management Development in BRICS Countries: An Analysis of Institutional Capacities and Innovations

In the era of rapid urbanization and global multilateral developments, the development of sustainable urban management in emerging countries is one of the key challenges. As an emerging economic-political power bloc, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and more recently Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, etc.) has a high capacity to facilitate technological and institutional cooperation in the field of urban management. This systematic review article aims to identify obstacles, capacities, and innovative solutions to improve urban management in BRICS member countries. Using the PRISMA method and searching in reputable scientific databases including Science Direct, Web of Science, and SID, 68 relevant scientific articles were selected and analyzed between 2015 and 2024. The findings show that BRICS countries face common challenges, including population density, spatial inequality, lack of smart infrastructure, and weak inter-sectoral coordination. In contrast, the BRICS forum has provided significant capacities for improving urban governance by establishing technology transfer networks, establishing a new development bank, and promoting urban entrepreneurship. This paper proposes innovative solutions, including establishing a “BRICS Smart Cities Network,” developing a joint urban innovation fund, and strengthening local entrepreneurship. The conclusion suggests that integrating entrepreneurial approaches with BRICS political-economic capacities can create a new paradigm for sustainable urban development in the global South.