The annual meeting brings together three influential emerging powers that face similar economic challenges and share similar positions on issues of global importance. Formalised through the adoption of the Brasilia Declaration, these three countries are also represented in other international forums such as the Group of 20 (G20), the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) group and the Brazil-South Africa-India-China (BASIC) coordinating group.
The 5th summit will see South African President Jacob Zuma host his counterparts, India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff at the Presidential Guest House in Pretoria for the three day meeting. IBSA’s various Working Groups in sectors such as agriculture, economics and social development and other forums such as the forum’s six civil society or People-to-People fora will also feed their inputs into the summit. For more information, see this transcript of a press briefing held by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi on 12 October 2011.SAIIA has been following the evolution of IBSA since its inception. To set the scene for this year’s summit, please see this list of recent research papers on this issue.
Occasional Paper:
Emerging Powers and the Changing Global Environment: Leadership, Norms and Institutions
by Mzukisi Qobo
SAIIA Occasional Paper No 91, September 2011
The rise of economically influential countries from the developing world is still a relatively new area of research, which is receiving increasing focus from international business actors, foreign policymakers and international relations scholars. Countries such as Brazil, China, India, Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam and the re-emerging Russia are remapping the geography of economic power. However, it is still uncertain whether these countries have sufficient political weight and policy traction to change the structure of power in multilateral processes.
Policy Briefing:
BRIC and IBSA Forums: Neo-liberals in Disguise or Champions of the South?
by Joseph Senona
SAIIA Policy Briefing, No 24, September 2010
South–South co-operation has existed for many decades and has played a key role in solidifying unity among developing countries. However, the concept of South–South co-operation has evolved from being concerned with geopolitics and opposing imperialism, global racism and colonialism, to an emphasis on geo-economics and political economy. Consequently, the focus has been on achieving sustainable development and growth for the South collectively, against the backdrop of rapid globalisation.
Conference Paper:
Emerging Powers: The IBSA States as Partners and Leaders in a Future Global Climate Change Regime
by Romy Chevallier
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, International Reports, 4/2011
The global challenge of climate change is well beyond the capacity of any one country or region to tackle alone. Given the magnitude and scale of what is required in response to its impacts, collective action from the developed and developing world is the only way forward. India, Brazil and South Africa, the so-called IBSA states, are becoming increasingly significant global actors and strategic partners in global environmental governance. As a result of important changes in the global geo-political landscape and their growing political and economic importance, there is a need to recognize the important contribution of these countries towards a more equitable global climate change regime. As these countries have tremendous domestic challenges to deal with, it is interesting to explore new areas of engagement between traditional actors and new partners on issues of international concern. Read more and Download [.pdf]
South African Journal of International Affairs (SAJIA):
Social challenges and progress in IBSA
by Manmohan Agarwal, Hany Besada & Lyal White.
SAJIA, Volume 17.3 2010
This article discusses the progress in addressing social development challenges within the member countries of IBSA. IBSA is a relatively new grouping formed by India, Brazil and South Africa in June 2003 as part of a concerted effort to reform the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, on the basis of respect for international law and the sovereignty of countries. This article is available on a subscription basis through SAIIA’s online publisher, Taylor and Francis. Please follow this link for more information on downloading this paper.
Related Research:
India and South Africa as Partners for Development in Africa?
by Elizabeth Sidiropoulos
Chatham House, Briefing Paper, March 2011
India and South Africa are both competitors and potential partners; they are developing countries playing a leadership role in the South, but in fact also display substantial differences in interests compared with other, smaller developing countries, for example in the World Trade Organization (WTO) or climate change negotiations. Their engagement in Africa can be explained as much by the shifts in global power and realpolitik as by their desire to be seen to be playing a positive developmental role, exerting influence and shouldering global responsibilities – which many in the United States and elsewhere in the North regard as an essential criterion for permanent membership of the UN Security Council. Read More and Download [.pdf]
