The BRICS and the New World Order: A Beginner’s Guide

Image: iStock, William Potter
Image: iStock, William Potter

As South Africa gears up to host the Fifth Annual BRICS Summit next month, SAIIA has released a comprehensive new BRICS Guide to help observers understand the dynamics at play.

This resource was created by the Global Economic Governance – Africa (GEGAfrica) project, an initiative of the South African Institute of International Affairs and the University of Pretoria, in association with CUTS International in India.

Called “BRICS and the New World Order: A Beginners Guide”, it is an electronic resource on the BRICS grouping (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). It covers:

  • The origin of BRICS
  • The evolution of BRICS over the years
  • The importance of BRICS in the world economy
  • Key trends regarding BRICS
  • Major issues and concerns facing the BRICS
  • Major strengths and commonalities among the BRICS
  • An answer to the question, “Will BRICS Emerge as a Guiding Force in the 21st Century?”

The Guide shows that there is plenty of scope for the BRICS countries, perhaps along with the regions they represent, to organise themselves into a formidable power bloc if they can overcome some of their differences.

The views expressed in this publication/article are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).