BRICS Summit 2014: materials, guides and interviews

Insights and Explanations

A range of short articles on the BRICS which unpack the grouping and the most important debates in an easy-to-read format:

The most talked-about developments expected from the upcoming Summit are the BRICS New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement. But what are these initiatives?
What are the political and economic factors behind the New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement?
BRICS political and economic influence in Africa continues to grow, but will the BRICS-Africa agenda feature significantly at the 2014 summit in July?
As Brazil is gearing up for the 6th BRICS Summit in Fortaleza in July, it is worth looking back to the 2010 BRIC Summit in Brasília. Why was the summit important and what were its lessons?
BRICS recently released an official ‘BRICS Bibliography’, and what it includes (and excludes) provides fascinating insights into the image each country aims to project.

SAIIA has just released an update to its popular online resource, “BRICS and the New World Order: A Beginners Guide”. It now 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?”
Outcomes from the 2013 Summit

SAIIA has a very wide range of publications on the BRICS and its relationship with Africa. The most recent include:

BRICS in the World Trade Organization: Comparative Trade Policies (excerpts from a book published by IPEA and CCGI-FGV)
BRICS, Mega-Regional FTAs and South Africa’s Trade Strategy, by Francis A. Kornegay, Jr. (SAIIA Occasional Paper No 191, June 2014)
Click here to visit SAIIA’s BRICS and emerging powers page for all papers, briefs and opinion pieces.

SAIIA Experts available for comment and their area of expertise:

Catherine Grant-Makokera: Head of SAIIA’s Economic Diplomacy Programme (BRICS overview, BRICS and private sector, BRICS Business Forum, Inter/Intra- BRICS trade)
Christopher Wood: Researcher with SAIIA’s Economic Diplomacy Programme (the BRICS Development Bank, the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement)
Chris Alden (based in the UK): Head of SAIIA’s Global Powers in Africa Programme (China’s role in the BRICS and the geo-politics of the grouping)
Mzukisi Qobo: Research Fellow with SAIIA’s Economic Diplomacy Programme (the politics of BRICS; will be in Brazil for Summit)
Yu-Shan Wu: Researcher with SAIIA’s Global Powers in Africa Programme (BRICS and Soft Power)
Wolfe Braude: SAIIA New Business Development and Stakeholder Manager (the changing SA Economy within BRICS, BRICS Summit theme ‘inclusive growth’)
Elizabeth Sidiropoulos: SAIIA Chief Executive (BRICS as new Southern ‘aid’ providers, BRICS and South-South Co-operation, South Africa in the BRICS)