srm case
South Africa in the BRICS
Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects1
This study investigates the participation of South Africa in the BRICS group from an analytical perspective. It is argued that South Africa’s membership to this group entails both opportunities and challenges for South Africa, the continent and the system of global governance. We seek to flesh out the potential mediumand long-term implications as well as the benefits and risks of South Africa’s membership in the areas pertaining to trade, foreign policy and development.
Hany Besada, Evren Tok and Kristen Winters
Hany Besada is Research Specialist, United Nations High
Level Panel Secretariat, Post-2015 Development Agenda &
Theme Leader and Senior Researcher: Governance of Natural
Resources at the North-South Institute (NSI) in Ottawa, Canada.
He is currently pursuing a PhD in Politics and International
Studies at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.
Dr Evren Tok is Assistant Professor for Public Policy in the Islam Programme at the Hamad Bin Khalifa
University, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Doha/Qatar.
Kristen Winters is a Research Assistant, North South Institute.
© Africa Institute of South Africa
Introduction
South Africa was granted an invitation to join the Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) grouping2 on 23 December 2010 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of
China, Yang Jiechi. The announcement was made by South Africa’s Minister of International
Relations and Cooperation, Maite NkoanaMshabane, after months of lobbying by South
African President Jacob Zuma, who marketed the country as the gateway to Africa. Zuma has maintained that this is an important group to be part of, given that the emerging economies have a significant role to play in restructuring political, economic and financial institutions to become more equitable and balanced.3
Participation in the group provides, according to the South African
Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects1
This study investigates the participation of South Africa in the BRICS group from an analytical perspective. It is argued that South Africa’s membership to this group entails both opportunities and challenges for South Africa, the continent and the system of global governance. We seek to flesh out the potential mediumand long-term implications as well as the benefits and risks of South Africa’s membership in the areas pertaining to trade, foreign policy and development.
Hany Besada, Evren Tok and Kristen Winters
Hany Besada is Research Specialist, United Nations High
Level Panel Secretariat, Post-2015 Development Agenda &
Theme Leader and Senior Researcher: Governance of Natural
Resources at the North-South Institute (NSI) in Ottawa, Canada.
He is currently pursuing a PhD in Politics and International
Studies at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.
Dr Evren Tok is Assistant Professor for Public Policy in the Islam Programme at the Hamad Bin Khalifa
University, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Doha/Qatar.
Kristen Winters is a Research Assistant, North South Institute.
© Africa Institute of South Africa
Introduction
South Africa was granted an invitation to join the Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) grouping2 on 23 December 2010 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of
China, Yang Jiechi. The announcement was made by South Africa’s Minister of International
Relations and Cooperation, Maite NkoanaMshabane, after months of lobbying by South
African President Jacob Zuma, who marketed the country as the gateway to Africa. Zuma has maintained that this is an important group to be part of, given that the emerging economies have a significant role to play in restructuring political, economic and financial institutions to become more equitable and balanced.3
Participation in the group provides, according to the South African
References: 5 Yanshuo, N., 2011 SouthAfrica.info. 2011. Zuma to BRICS: Invest in Africa’s growth Xin, Z. and Blanchard, B., 2011. China Dev Bank ready to pump 10 billion yuan Xinhua News Agency. 2011. Full text of Sanya Declaration of the BRICS Leaders Wooldridge, M., 2011. Will BRICS strengthen South Africa’s economic foundations? BBC News, [online] 5 January. Wilson, D., Kelston, A. and Ahmed, S., 2010 Africa Insight Vol 42(4) – March 2013 10 Van den Bosch, S., 2011 11 The Economist. 2011. The lion kings? The Economist, [online] 6 January 12 Andreasson, S., 2011. Africa’s prospects and South Africa’s leadership potential in 13 World Bank. 2011. South Africa economic update: Focus on savings, investment